The 9 Best Dry Vermouths of 2023

Best Dry Vermouths of 2022 — The Spruce Eats / Lecia Landis

Vermouth is a spirit that many drinkers have at home, but some aren't quite sure how to use it. For those unfamiliar with the aperitif, vermouth is a fortified wine infused with herbs and spices. There are two main styles: dry (light-bodied with floral, fruity, and herbal notes) and sweet (medium-bodied, red in color, fruitier on the palate, and significantly sweeter than the former). Sweet vermouth may even exhibit vanilla, caramel, and cocoa flavors.

For fans of prominently herbaceous drinks, dry vermouth is a key ingredient in many iconic cocktails, perhaps most famously the classic martini. Just add gin and your choice of olives or a lemon twist.

Set your home bar up for success with these bartender-approved best bottles of dry vermouth.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Carpano Dry Vermouth at Drizly

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Best for Martinis:

Bordiga Extra Dry Vermouth at Drizly

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Best for Sipping:

La Quintinye Extra Dry Vermouth at Drizly

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Best Domestic:

Ransom Dry Vermouth at Vivino

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Best Versatile:

Cinzano Extra Dry Vermouth at Drizly

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Best Aromatic:

Jardesca California Aperitiva at Drizly

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Best Aperitivo-Style:

Cocchi Americano Bianco at Drizly

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Best Budget:

Rivata Dry Vermouth at Drizly

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Best Splurge:

Cinzano 1757 Vermouth di Torino Extra Dry at Drizly

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In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look for
FAQs
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Courtesy of Drizly

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“When it comes to vermouth, I think the Italians nailed it, so I try to stick with Italian vermouth,” says Piero Procida, food and beverage director of The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills. “Age-old and natural processes are what make Italian vermouths an excellent choice. They've had many years to perfect their craft and their flavor profiles tend to be more unique in character. Carpano Antica vermouth is the perfect example of this."

In agreeance, Drew Johnson, head bartender at the Michelin-starred Musket Room says, “I have always been a huge fan of pretty much everything that Carpano makes. I’m a big fan of Carpano Dry in my martinis. It’s a pretty diverse vermouth, as well. It makes a killer Clover Club, and in a pinch, you can actually just add a touch of simple syrup and transform this beautifully aromatic vermouth from dry to blanc."

Price at time of publish: $16

Country of Origin: Italy | ABV: 18% | Size: 375 milliliters

Good To Know

Carpano Dry is the traditional dry vermouth from the brand, but Alex Pendergrass, assistant director of food and beverage at Newport's Hotel Viking, also recommends Carpano Bianco, not only for the superb quality of the Carpano legacy, but for its versatility. Carpano Bianco offers a velvety and round mouthfeel that lends itself well to gin martinis. The citrus and fruit flavors complement any base spirit, but it's also an easy sipper over ice.

Courtesy of Drizly

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Jeremy Allen, beverage director at MiniBar Hollywood, says one of his favorite dry vermouths is this bottle by Bordiga. It starts with a blend of white grapes, including moscato and cortese, local to the Piedmont region. It's then infused with botanicals—many of them foraged by hand from the Occitan Valleys—like wormwood, gentian root, and gentian flowers. The resulting vermouth is crisp and rich, with prominent alpine flavors of citrus and gentian. It shines in a martini, but try it with tonic water and a bit of lemon for a breezy before-dinner drink.

Price at time of publish: $28

Country of Origin: Italy | ABV: 18.5% | Size: 750 milliliters

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Courtesy of Drizly

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“There are a few good dry vermouths out there, but the one we use most often is the La Quintinye Extra Dry Vermouth,” says Gavin Humes, director of food and beverage at Scratch Restaurants Group. “It's nicely balanced, not overwhelming, and sincerely complex. It makes for a brilliant martini or Vesper, and even plays well in a spritz topped with a bit of sparkling water and a twist.”

Rob Vogel, the bar manager at Baltimore’s Monarque, seconds this. “I enjoy its intense floral-forward and green herb-driven flavors," he says. "When using La Quintinye Royal in a martini, I add lemon peel, three anise pods, and a sprig of rosemary while stirring the mixing glass. I recommend adding botanicals, herbs, and spices that accentuate the vermouth of your choosing.”

Made in France, this company is thought to be the first to ever use Pineau des Charentes as the base of its vermouth.

Price at time of publish: $29

Country of Origin: France | ABV: 17% | Size: 750 milliliters

Courtesy of Mr. D Wine Merchant

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Juan Fernandez, beverage director at The Ballantyne in Charlotte, North Carolina, loves this American-made vermouth from Ransom Wines and Distillery. The base is a blend of organically farmed white grapes and pinot noir blanc that's distilled into brandy, infused with botanicals, and barrel-aged in French oak. The result is beautifully floral with subtle notes of ripe peach, bold herbs, and lemon verbena.

“Ransom Dry Vermouth is a classic formulation, with eponymous base notes of wormwood," Fernandez says. "Among the botanicals used in the infusion are rosehip, skullcap, chamomile, orange peel, verbena, spearmint, star anise, cinnamon bark, angel root, burdock root, fennel, cardamom, vanilla bean, and lemon peel.”

Price at time of publish: $33

Country of Origin: USA | ABV: 18.4% | Size: 500, 750 milliliters

Good to Know

“The most important thing about vermouth is keeping it cold once opened. Many bartenders and home drinkers put it back on the shelf when they are done. But just like wine, once opened, it spoils over time.” — Piero Procida, Food and Beverage Director of The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills

Courtesy of Minibar

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“Like stepping into an herb garden, Cinzano’s subtle notes of oregano and mint are ever-present next to a bright undertone of citrus,” says Max Green, owner and bartender at Blue Quarter in New York City. “Make yourself a refreshing 50/50 martini to chill out on a cool autumn afternoon, or replace the rum in a mojito.”

Cinzano dates back to 1757, when brothers Giovanni Giacomo and Carlo Stefano Cinzano started experimenting with wine infusions in their Piedmont, Italy, sweets shop. Today’s versatile aperitif gets its signature flavor from 14 different ingredients, including chamomile and rose petal, that flavor the white wine. Cinzano Extra Dry has herbal notes of mint and oregano, and a crisp, mildly bitter finish.

“Like every bottle of vermouth, it's meant to be finished,” says Green. “Don’t let it be forgotten in the door of your fridge.”

Price at time of publish: $10

Country of Origin: Italy | ABV: 18% | Size: 750 milliliters

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Courtesy of Jardesca

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One of Allen’s other favorite dry vermouths is Jardesca California Aperitiva, which is viognier-based with ten botanicals and fortified with its own grape eau de vie. Jardesca is a take on traditional European vermouth, handmade in Sonoma, California, by a team of winemakers and mixologists. It blends together three different Golden State wines, then fortifies it further with grape-based spirits.

What makes this bottle unique is the creative blend of California botanicals, including pink grapefruit, bay leaf, and pink peppercorn—all of which are natural. It’s herbaceous, and one of the sweeter bottles on this list, with bright citrus acidity and apricot notes. Try it with a squeeze of citrus on the rocks.

Price at time of publish: $31

Country of Origin: USA | ABV: 17% | Size: 750 milliliters

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Courtesy of Minibar

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A bottle of Cocchi Americano sits on almost every cocktail bar in the country—and for good reason. The wine-based aperitif has a unique flavor that lends itself well to cocktailing. Dating back to 1891, Cocchi Americano uses Moscato d’Asti wine, then flavors it with cinchona bark—the same bark that gives tonic water its unique quinine flavor. (Cocchi Americano is part of a family of spirits called Chianti: wine-based spirits made with herbs.)

It’s crisp, lightly spiced, and citrus-forward with a slight bitterness from the cinchona bark. This is less like dry vermouth and more like a bitter wine-based aperitif, so if you have tried your fair share of dry vermouths and are looking for something quirkier to add to your cocktails or sip alone, pick up a bottle of Cocchi Americano.

Price at time of publish: $23

Country of Origin: Italy | ABV: 16.5% | Size: 750 milliliters

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Rivata makes its dry vermouth in the Langhe region, a hilly area in the famed winemaking region of Piedmont in northern Italy, and it comes highly recommended by Piero Procida. The Italian vermouth features a fruity nose with hints of wood and a beautiful pine flavor unique to the brand. The woodsy, juniper-forward flavor makes this dry vermouth really come alive. Procida recommends it in a martini.

Price at time of publish: $7

Country of Origin: Italy | ABV: 18% | Size: 750 milliliters

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“Every vermouth is made up of different botanicals, and like a fingerprint, each one is different because of this,” says Claire Sprouse, bartender and owner of Hunky Dory in Brooklyn, New York. “1757 Vermouth di Torino Extra Dry has just the right balance of high aromatic herbal notes—think thyme and sage—and a depth of baking spices. This lets it play nice with both light and dark spirits, and makes for versatile vermouth for any bar. Personally, though, I just take mine over ice with a twist.”

This special, small-batch bottling is a nod to the year brothers Giovanni Giacomo and Carlo Stefano Cinzano founded the Cinzano brand. An ode to Casa Cinzano’s three-century history, this spirit is carefully crafted by hand.

Price at time of publish: $33

Country of Origin: Italy | ABV: 18% | Size: 750 milliliters

Final Verdict

For a gorgeous and time-tested dry vermouth that won't break the bank, it's hard to beat Carpano Dry Vermouth (view at Total Wine), which represents the best characteristics of Martini-friendly vermouths from Italy. And for a fascinating domestic alternative, check out the Ransom Dry Vermouth (view at Vivino), which is great in cocktails but also lovely served on its own over ice.

What to Look for in a Dry Vermouth

Taste

Do your taste buds crave herbal or floral notes? Do they enjoy a bit of spice? Dry vermouths can vary in taste due to the flavoring. Some have hints of chamomile, pine, mint, thyme, peach, vanilla, or other botanicals. Explore and sample a few to find the right one for you.

Ingredients

Scan the ingredients list on the label to see what is in the bottle of dry vermouth before purchasing. Whether drinking it as an aperitif or in a martini, the makeup of the vermouth is an important consideration. What the manufacturer has blended into it, such as florals, herbs, or spices, will affect your drinking enjoyment.

Use

Are you going to be drinking the vermouth on its own? Or, possibly mixing it? If you're using it in a martini, how much vermouth you use becomes an important decision on which one you purchase. Do you want it to stand out or blend in? It all comes down to what you will use it for, as the flavor notes will affect your drink.

FAQs

How do you drink dry vermouth?

Enjoy it by itself as an aperitif, neat, or with some ice cubes. Mix it up with gin or vodka, whichever you prefer, to make a refreshing martini.

How do you store dry vermouth?

Once vermouth has been opened, it should be kept in the refrigerator and used within one to three months. It will start to lose its flavor after the first month, so if possible, try to drink it within that time frame.

Can you cook with dry vermouth?

Use dry vermouth wherever you would use white wine. It's a versatile ingredient that can be used with vegetables, beef, or fish when braising, poaching, or simmering.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Kate Dingwall is a sommelier and spirits writer. She has been writing about the bar and spirits world for five years and has her BarSmarts and WSET certification. She interviewed nine experts for this article.

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Article Sources

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United States Department of Agriculture. National Organic Program.