Rossi Extra Dry | Andrew Quady | Turin | Piedmont | Italy

The company, located in Turin, in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, has been producing this famous Rosso vermouth since 1863. It remained the company's sole product until it was joined by Martini & Rossi Extra Dry in 1900 and Bianco in the 1910s. The vivacious Rosso has a bittersweet quality that comes from a good balance between the caramel (source of the color as well as the sweetness) and the bitter botanicals. Martini & Rossi sticks by tradition in including wormwood in the recipe for the Rosso. This is a classic European afternoon café drink, but it also makes a great before-dinner stimulant for the taste buds.

Mix it with bourbon or whiskey for the perfect Manhattan.

VYA EXTRA DRY ($16)

A few years ago, asking for an American vermouth would have been as crazy as asking for an Italian bourbon. Not anymore. Andrew Quady, a northern California winemaker who specializes in dessert wines, was asked by a restaurateur friend to develop a vermouth to use in his establishment's dry martinis. Quady took up the challenge and began experimenting. After two years of tests, Vya was ready, in both dry and sweet versions.

The base wine for Vya Extra Dry is made from Colombard (for its herbaceous qualities) and Orange Muscat (for its lovely aromatic character). In the process of taste tests, Quady decided to eliminate the bitter wormwood from his version. Intending it to be more than just a mixer for martinis, Quady kept the herbal profile low, striving for a vermouth that could be enjoyed on its own. He succeeded. This is very dry, crisp, and nicely balanced vermouth with a touch of astringency.

LILLET BLOND ($13)

Although it's classed with vermouth, Lillet is not technically a vermouth and doesn't use the word on its label. Unlike vermouth, it's not flavored with herbs but is enhanced with liqueurs made from citrus and other fruits from around the world. I'm including it here because, simply put, I love it.