From the word "wermut", german for wormwood. The most famous fortified wine in the world takes the name from what historically has been its main spice.

Wormwood-spiced wines have been made in various cultures for a long time, but it was Antonio Benedetto Carpano who set the standard for vermouth as we know it today.

It was 1786 when Carpano, a herbalist from Torino, formulated his recipe to include a wide variety of botanicals along with wormwood. The wine was then sweetened and fortified with alcohol

He created a fantastic product, but what made it really popular was an extraordinary marketing move. He sent a case of his vermouth to the Savoia, the royal family of Torino. They loved it so much that they made it the drink of choice at royal parties.

Following the success of vermouth with the aristocrats, the drink was soon embraced by the fancy cafes frequented by the upper class of Torino. And just like that, vermouth became THE beverage of "aperitif hour", a very special moment of the day in the Italian culture, a time in the afternoon just before dinner to hang out, chat and enjoy a drink