Here is the trio of Dolin vermouths. I suspect many people may have some vermouth story, the journey of how they’ve become acquainted with vermouth – a very interesting ingredient which can be quite polarizing for people new to it. For me, this was the 3rd leg of my journey. My first encounter with vermouth was absolutely disastrous with the basic Martini&Rossi vermouths that weren’t great to start with and got literally VILE with oxidization. I HATED it and couldn’t understand vermouths until I got a bottle of  Carpano Antica Formula (see that post for more vermouth basics). That bottle helped me make peace with vermouth, and next up were these three cuties.

Although the two more common styles of vermouth are dry and sweet/rouge, there actually is a third style (blanc) which sits in between. This style was invented by Dolin over a hundred years ago and is clear like the dry, but sweet like the rouge. Whereas the dry has ~30 grams of sugar per liter, both the blanc and rouge have 130g/L. I love these Dolin vermouths, which really epitomize the style that made French vermouths so famous and well respected. What makes them unique on the market is that they are the last remaining maker of vermouths in the Chambéry style, produced in the mountain town of Chambéry in the French alps using local alpine botanicals. The ingredients and process employed make these vermouths lighter in flavor and mouthfeel compared to many others, making this absolutely delightful for creations that beg for vermouth as a complementary addition (as opposed to overtaking or competing against strong flavors). Highly recommended! 👍🏼 Do you have any favorite vermouths or a story to share? 😉