Recipes for drinks, foods & how to pair the two

Liqueur/Vermouth/Apertif

Vermouth White Wine Spritzer with Pinot Grigio

An herbaceous and refreshing twist on a classic white wine spritzer. Vermouth adds the perfect accompaniment keeping this cocktail. The Vermouth White Wine Spritzer is light and refreshing but robust enough to stand up to Herbes de Provence Hasselback Potatoes.
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Ok so truthfully I have a bottle of vermouth in my fridge and I love it! I frequently make martinis (Martini Monday’s anyone??!!) But I do love a good glass of vermouth with some club soda. It also just feels like a great fall white wine spritzer. Vermouth and Club Soda is robust but light and refreshing. It is everything I want in an early fall cocktail; while it is slightly chilly but still warm outside. I don’t always have the best vermouth on hand. When I decide to splurge a bit (which happens more than I care to admit), I get a beautiful vermouth I only drink on the rocks or with soda water. However, I have a regular bottle of vermouth in the fridge most of the time for martinis or manhattans.

When originally thinking of this cocktail paired with the food item, I also was considering Pinot Grigio. I also considered another mineral forward or floral white wine. But, I wanted a bit cozier cocktail since it is the fall. Then I figured, why not have the best of both worlds? So I combined vermouth with white wine and made an elevated vermouth white wine spritzer. Honestly, it’s exactly what I wanted with the Herbes de Provance Hasselback Potatoes.

What is vermouth?

Vermouth is a fortified wine that has had botanicals infused into it. A fortified wine is a wine that has alcohol (such as brandy or vodka) added to it. Fortifying a wine helps it last longer by reducing the spoilage potential with increased alcohol content. Fortified wines stayed fresh longer on long journeys overseas to have something safe to drink. Now, fortified wines are incredible additions to cocktails, dishes or as an after or pre-dinner drink. Other fortified wines include port, sherry or madeira.

There are two main types of vermouth, sweet and dry.1 Sweet vermouth is what you would use in a Manhattan and as the name suggests is sweet (10-15% sugar).2 Sweet vermouth is often made from red wine, although not a rule. Whereas dry vermouth is what you would use in a martini. Usually made with white wine, dry vermouth is not nearly as sweet as its counterpart (about 4% sugar).2

Vermouth is fortified and then loaded with botanical ingredients. Each vermouth recipe has slight variations in the botanicals and the amounts of each. Common botanicals include coriander, juniper, nutmeg, orange, clove, marjoram, cardamom, chamomile among others.1 The spice and bitterness of vermouth make it a great addition to recipes. Vermouth has layers of flavor that add the the drinking experience and help other ingredients pop. While often added to recipes, a nice vermouth served on the rocks or with soda water is a treat.

One time I had a vermouth paired with a thai dish at a restaurant in DC. When I say that vermouth is still the best vermouth I’ve tasted in my life, I am not joking. It was the perfect balance of sweet, bitter, herbaceous and refreshing; made in house with riesling wine. The sweetness of the riesling cut the spice in the dish beautifully. The botanicals from the vermouth emphasized the herbs and spices in the dish. I clearly still think about it. Since I was visiting DC at the time, I knew I wouldn’t be able to have it again for a while. So when I got home, I tried to recreate it. And I failed. BUT writing about vermouth has re-invigorated my desire to try and recreate it again.

Vermouth is wine, and therefore should not be stored for extended periods of time after opening. Try to consume within about a month after opening, and I store mine in the fridge once open. If your bottle is on the older side, try it before throwing it out. If it tastes fresh, not dull and not oxidized then go with it. Older vermouth will taste off. The acidity will be lower like an old lime or lemon, just not as sharp. The subtle notes are gone, and often any floral notes are diminished drastically or absent. If you can’t tell and think it tastes fine, then use it.

Recipe Notes & Substitutions

Vermouth– You can use a fancy vermouth or you can use the one in the green bottle you bought for martinis once. But please, remember these 2 important things: use dry vermouth NOT sweet vermouth. Do not use one that has been sitting there for a year or more. If that is the case, get some fresh vermouth. I promise you’ll either want to make this recipe again, want a martini again OR cook with it. Other than that, use the vermouth you like!

Pinot Grigio– Ok I use old world (aka European) Pinot Grigio/ Pinot Gris for this recipe. You could use a Sauvignon Blanc or a Chardonnay instead but I prefer Pinot Grigio/Gris. However, use the white wine you enjoy best!

Lemon– Fresh lemon juice, not lime. Lime will taste completely different and lends a different pucker than lemon, use lemon juice. Yes, garnish with a lemon twist.

Club Soda– Use whatever you like but use plain club soda. If you like extra fizz fine, mineral water would also work REALLY well here. OK yeah you gonna try this with sparkling mineral water because that may actually be better!!! 

Shaken not stirred?– You can absolutely shake this cocktail. If I am being honest I do love shaking a cocktail. But, usually I stir this cocktail in a cocktail shaker or the serving glass. If stirring in the glass be very careful not to break the wine glass. Either way will result in an incredible cocktail.

Why does this Vermouth White Wine Spritzer pairing work? In my opinion…

First off, the herbes de Provence are a bridge ingredients for a reason. Herbs like thyme, rosemary and lavender pair perfectly with vermouth. Really these herbs work with a lot of cocktail options. But, the beautiful floral and earthy notes from the herbs match with the floral and fruity notes of the vermouth. The herbs help form a base pairing that helps to elevate to nuances between the bite and the cocktail; quite like base in a song.

The sour gruyere helps to balance the bite by cutting through the potato richness. The Pinot Grigio enhances the sour tang of gruyere to further cut through the richness. The mineral qualities of the Pinot Grigio pairs with the salt and counterbalances the floral vermouth and lavender. The wine brings freshness that lightens the food and cleanses after each bite. The lemon zest on the potatoes pairs with the lemon in the cocktail and the adds freshness to the bite. So enjoy your crispy Herbes de Provence Hasselback Potatoes even more with this elevated white wine spritzer.

Vermouth White Wine Spritzer

An herbaceous and refreshing twist on a classic white wine spritzer. Vermouth adds the perfect accompaniment to this cocktail while not bringing intense booze to pair with the Herbes de Provence Hasselback Potatoes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Drinks

Equipment

  • 1 Wine Glass

Ingredients
  

  • 3 oz Pinot Grigio or favorite crisp white wine
  • 1 oz Vermouth
  • 1/2 oz Lemon juice
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Soda water or Mineral Water
  • Ice

Instructions
 

Shaken…

  • Add all the ingredients except the soda water to a cocktail shaker and shake until chilled.
  • Strain and pour over ice. Top with club soda and garnish with lemon twist or wedge.

… Or Stirred (my preference for this cocktail)

  • Add Ice to a glass (I use a wine glass).
  • Add white wine, vermouth, dash or two of bitter and lemon juice to the glass and stir until combined.
  • Top with mineral water or club soda, a lemon peel twist and quickly stir to mix, and serve immediately.
  • Serve with the Herbs de Provence Hasselback Potatoes.
Keyword Club Soda, Crisp, Hasselback Potatoes, Herbes de Provence, Pinot Grigio, Refreshing, Soda Water, Vermouth, White Wine Sprizter

References

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