Martini (vermouth): reviews and tips on how not to buy a fake. What is the difference between vermouth and martini?

Martini (vermouth) is an alcoholic drink, created a long time ago. According to one of the most common versions, the composition of the martini was developed by Dr. Hippocrates himself. Once he noticed that wine mixed with grits of herbs produces a positive effect on the sick. Accepting it, they recovered much faster.

Let's look at the classic types of this drink, we learn what is needed first of all to pay attention not to buy a fake and what actually distinguishes martini from vermouth.

What is vermouth?

The simple question of what makes martini different from vermouth, few people can give an exact answer. First, let's define what the vermouth is all about. The very word "vermouth" in translation means "wormwood". In fortified wine, producers add a variety of aromatic spicy and medicinal plants. It is easy to guess from the name that the basis of these additives is wormwood. In addition, the composition of the vermouth can include about 35 herbs: lemon balm, mint, St. John's wort, chamomile, ginger, coriander and others.

Herbs are insisted for 20 days, during this time, tar, essential oils and other essential substances dissolve, creating the necessary bouquet. After receiving the herbal extract, it is mixed with wine. Then alcohol and sugar are added to the beverage. Alcohol is needed for better preservation and solubility of aromatic substances, sugar also smoothes out excessive bitterness. After the performed operations vermouth strongly heat, then cool. The resulting drink should be infused for 3-4 months, sometimes this period can be extended to one and a half years.

Vermouth can be of various types: white vermouth, which contains from 10 to 15% of sugar; Pink, containing about 15% sugar; Red vermouth - 15% and higher.

Martini

Martini (vermouth), what is it? Martini is a brand of vermouth, which is produced in Italian wineries. In 1847, at the behest of the case in Turin, met two unusual personalities: the wine merchant Alessandro Martini and connoisseur on the herbs of Luigi Rossi. Aspiring to new ideas and tastes, they exchanged their knowledge in the hope of obtaining an unusual drink that brings people joy and pleasure. As a result of many experiments they managed to create a full flavor and energy drink, which is so popular now. The result of their successful experiment was called "Martini Rossi." After that, in 1863, they created a company for the production of vermouth Martini called Martini & Rossi.

As you already understood, the question of the differences between these two drinks is irrelevant, since martini is vermouth. The brand "Martini" has become incredibly popular, it is almost synonymous with the word "vermouth". It often happens that a person who wants to try vermouth in the store will ask for a martini. However, many do not know that the producers of this drink are many. In addition to Italy, vermouth is produced in many countries: France, Spain, USA, Germany, Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Moldova, etc.

Martini Bianco

Vermouth Martini Bianco appeared at the beginning of the XX century. It has a fresh citrus flavor with quite interesting shades. It surprisingly combines the bitterness and tartness of wormwood with pleasant sweet notes. This vermouth is strong enough, however its fortress is practically imperceptible. Vermouth Martini Bianco is made of white dry wine, in which soft sweetish floral spices and extract of fragrant herbs are added (sandal, rhubarb, cloves, roots of gentian etc. are present in the extract). Vermouth has a pleasant color, and its name was obtained thanks to the flowers of white vanilla used in the cooking process. This drink is preferred by young girls. There are many options for its use. In pure form, a green olive or lemon, ice is added to vermouth Martini. You can drink it with juice, soda, tonic. On the basis of vermouth, you get exquisite cocktails with a unique taste.

Martini Extra Dray

This species is one of the varieties of dry vermouth. His presentation took place during the celebration of the New Year in 1900. Vermouth Martini Extra Dray was appreciated and immediately began to enjoy great success. It has a pleasant light color. A distinctive feature of this drink is that after trying it, you will not feel a single bit of bitterness. This vermouth Martini has a pleasant scent, in which you can distinguish between floral notes and fruit and berry motifs. Another advantage of this drink is the minimum sugar content.

Before serving on the table, the bottle with vermouth should be cooled to 10-15 degrees, as in a warm form the excellent taste of the drink is lost. Experienced tasters advise to use this vermouth in its pure form, because this is how its taste qualities are most fully revealed. You can dilute it with a little water, ice, add a slice of lemon. In addition, martini is well combined with white rum, gin, whiskey, cognac and vodka.

Martini Rosso

Martini Rosso differs from other species with a high sugar content (16%), a strong enough fortress and a rich red color. He resembles his taste for vermouth Martini Bianco. A sweet white drink is the basis of Rosso's preparation. To obtain Martini Rosso, white vermouth is initially prepared, into which various components are added to enhance flavor and odor.

Vermouth has a pleasant caramel flavor, after the first gulp there is a aftertaste of grapefruit and grapes. The drink is perfectly combined with various cheeses, olives, nuts and crackers.

How not to buy a fake?

The fortress of Martini vermouth depends on the type of drink. Bianco, Rosso, Rose have a fortress of about 16%, Extra Dry - 18%, the strongest - Bitter, a fortress of 25%, it is produced only by the company "Martini and Rossi." It is not surprising that vermouth, which is popular all over the world, is often counterfeited. Sometimes just looking at the bottle it's hard to determine whether this is Martini (vermouth) or not.

There are several rules, following which, you can to some extent protect yourself from buying a substandard vermouth.

• First, buy martini only in specialized stores. An exception can be made for large Internet portals of well-known companies.
• Secondly, pay attention to the strength of the drink. Even one degree difference means that you have a fake.
• Look at the price. Martini (vermouth) can not cost less than 300-400 rubles. Of course, on pre-holiday sales, its cost may decrease, but not much.

Tips of experts and true judges martini

How is it advised to drink martini? There are many ways, let's look at some of them. Martini is not recommended to drink at a gulp, since only in small sips opens the fullness of the fragrance and delicate taste.

They drink vermouth both in pure form, and in diluted, or in the composition of various cocktails. As for dry vermouths, they should not be diluted, mixed and used in a refrigerated form. It is important not to forget that vermouth is an aperitif, drink it at the beginning of dinner.

The same cocktail

There is a fairly common cocktail, based on gin and vermouth - Martini Dry. It got its name in honor of its creator - Martini de Togia. This happened long before the appearance of the famous trademark.

In the original, the cocktail consisted of equal proportions of gin and vermouth. But over time, it came to that the glass can only be rinsed with a little vermouth, before pouring the gin into it. Interestingly, the famous James Bond was a true connoisseur of this cocktail, only in him gin was replaced with vodka and added vermouth - white Martini.

A little bit about martini advertising

In addition to the 007 agent who promoted the brand all over the world, it advertised this wonderful drink and the heroine of the same name series Kamenskaya. Elena Yakovleva, who played the main role, claimed that thanks to this vermouth, wonderful and unpredictable ideas are born in the head, mental processes are accelerated. How to know, perhaps, there is something in it, it's not for nothing that Hippocrates himself spoke about the healing properties of the vermouth.

Martini trademark does not need special advertising, as without it enjoys great popularity among the stars of show business. Remember the advertisement in which Gwyneth Paltrow pronounces: "My martini, please!". The commercials of this brand are both simple and memorable, because a quality drink does not need constant advertising.

The very mention of this divine drink causes a feeling of admiration, luxury, relaxation and expectation of unsurpassed pleasure.