Bartenders argue about gin and tequila and rye. Almost nobody argues about vermouth, which is strange given that vermouth shapes more cocktails than any other ingredient on the back bar. Get the vermouth wrong and the Martini is wrong, the Manhattan is wrong, the Negroni is wrong, the Vesper is wrong. The Italians get the press; the French — specifically Châmbéry, specifically Dolin — are quietly making most of the more useful working vermouths.
Two countries, two styles
Italian vermouth
Bigger, sweeter, more aromatic. The signature bitter herb is usually wormwood and Italian botanicals like gentian and bitter orange. Higher residual sugar across the range. Carpano Antica Formula, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, Martini Rosso — these are the references. Read as: rich, dark, intentional. Excellent for stirred drinks where you want the vermouth to be the dominant aromatic.
French vermouth — specifically Châmbéry
Smaller in profile, drier, more herbal-floral than spice-forward. The AOC Vermouth de Châmbéry (the only protected vermouth designation in France) requires Alpine herbs from the Savoie region — wormwood, of course, but also coriander, gentian root, calamus, hyssop, melissa, alongside the more typical botanicals. The wine base tends to be light Savoie whites, not bold Piedmontese reds. Less sugar across all expressions.
Read as: lighter, brighter, herbal, with a long dry finish. Excellent when you want the gin or the rye to remain the star.
Dolin: the Châmbéry reference
Dolin makes the textbook Châmbéry. Founded 1815, still in Châmbéry, the only producer left of the original wave of Savoyard vermouth houses. The line:
- Dolin Dry — the bartender's dry vermouth. Pale, very dry (around 30 g/L sugar versus 50+ in most dry vermouths), distinctly Alpine in profile. Use in: dry Martini, the Vesper, the Hanky Panky, anywhere you'd previously default to Noilly Prat.
- Dolin Blanc — the white vermouth (not the same as dry). Sweeter, floral, with notes that remind some people of elderflower. Use in: spritzes, the El Presidente, anywhere you want vermouth-as-mixer rather than vermouth-as-accent.
- Dolin Rouge — the red vermouth. The lightest, driest "sweet" vermouth on most shelves. Use in: a more elegant Manhattan, the Vieux Carré, the Negroni when you want it brighter and less treacly.
Where each style shines
Use Italian vermouth when:
- The drink is built around the vermouth (Americano, Negroni, anything sip-able from the vermouth itself)
- You're working with bold spirits (rye, bourbon, dark rum) that need a partner with weight
- You want a richer, dessert-side profile
Use Dolin Châmbéry when:
- The drink is built around the spirit and vermouth is the accent (Martini, Manhattan, Vesper)
- You're working with gin or other lighter, botanically-driven base spirits
- You want the drink to read as drier and brighter
The Dolin Rouge Manhattan
This is the test case. Standard Manhattan: 60 ml rye, 22 ml sweet vermouth, 2 dashes Angostura. Made with Carpano Antica it's a dessert-rich, almost vinous drink. Made with Dolin Rouge it's a different drink — herbal, drier, the rye doing more visible work, the Angostura sharper against a less-cushioned background. Neither is wrong. They're just different drinks.
Storage — the part everyone gets wrong
Vermouth is fortified wine, not spirit. Once opened, it oxidises like wine. Refrigerate immediately. Use within 6–8 weeks. Open vermouth that's been on the speed rail for 3 months at room temperature is unusable — it tastes like flat sherry vinegar. Half the time someone tells us vermouth "doesn't matter," they've been making drinks with oxidised vermouth.
If you only buy two French vermouths to start: Dolin Dry and Dolin Rouge. That covers most stirred classics. Add Blanc when you start writing your own.
