For most of us, vermouth is an ingredient. Swirled around a martini glass or splashed into a Manhattan, it is quickly placed back on the bar cart as the stars of the show (gin, vodka, bourbon, pick your poison) make their entrance.

But at Hampden’s The Wine Collective, co-founder Enrique Pallares and his team are on a mission to push vermouth into the spotlight, a placement it already enjoys in Spain, where the daily “hora del Vermut”—vermouth hour—brings young people out in spades to sip the fortified wine on its own, with olives and orange slices, or fizzed up with a bit of seltzer. 

Sitting in the cozy Barrel Room at The Wine Collective as Pallares pours from the first batch of his Vermú Rosé, it takes very little convincing to consider borrowing a tradition from the Spanish. The pinkish-orange concoction of the collective’s 2019 rosé aromatized with cinchona bark, Spanish oranges, chamomile, wormwood, gentian root, juniper berries, clove, and star anise is spicy and bittersweet on its own, and refreshing and mellow served “vermuteria style” with soda water, an orange slice, and an olive. There are also several vermú cocktails on offer, including a light, botanical spritz and the warm, sugary “Burnt Flamingo.”

“It’s one of the most versatile drinks out there,” says Vallares. “You can really drink it on a Sunday morning spritzed up with bubbly water, or you can mix it with sparkling wine and it’s a perfect anytime drink like the Aperol Spritz. At the same time you can have it in the afternoon, or you can serve it in like a little Nick and Nora after dinner and it’s the perfect cocktail or digestif. It’s very, very simple, and that’s why I think it’s so popular among young people in Spain.”

With trends pushing drinkers more and more toward options with less sugar and lower alcohol content, Vermú Rosé has arrived at the perfect moment, ticking boxes in flavor and versatility and clocking in at just 16.5% ABV in the bottle.

“It’s the meeting point between the distiller, the winemaker, the chef, and the witch doctor. All those [botanicals] have components that are good for you, and then you blend that with the wine,” says Vallares. “[The American palate] is learning to let go of the sugar a little bit, and it’s learning to love bitterness a little bit more. [Vermouth] has this wave of people ready for that palate, but it’s also tied to the interest in the lower-ABV stuff. There’s all these interesting forces in the booze and culinary movement in America that are perfect for vermouth.”

They may not quite be doctor’s orders, but Vallares recommends pairing the spirit with salty pintxos such as tinned fish and olives. (The Wine Collective’s smoked fish dip, served with crackers and chili crisp, is a stunner.) And look for a new red vermouth —“More vanilla forward, more herbal, more of the traditional style,” according to Vallares — launching this month. With the rosé variety already lauded by Wine & Spirits, Condé Nast Traveler, and Forbes, we look forward to adding a second style to our vermouth hour supplies soon.

The year 2020 is one we’d all like to forget. Wouldn’t it be a kick to have a do-over? Two-thousand years ago, March 1 was designated as New Year’s Day on the early Roman calendar because March was considered the first month of the year. Let’s celebrate the ancient new year with these Italianate delectables.

Barone Pizzini Franciacorta “Animante” NV
($40, Winebow)

In the 19th century, the Barone Pizzini family endeavored to make a sparkling wine to rival the best of France’s Champagne region. They planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir just like the French and made the wines exactly as they are made in Champagne, but with more age. The result, then as now, is a decadent bubbly with all the finesse of a fine Champagne, just with an Italian signature. Sure, it’s good for toasts, but also pairs well with creamy sauces, cheeses, and, of course, caviar.

Birra Dolomiti Pils
($15 six-pack, Constantine)

Nestled in the foothills of the Italian Alps, Birra Dolomiti brews up a crisp, flavorful Pilsner in the same time-honored manner that was popular when the region was still part of the Austrian Hapsburg Empire. Ideal for all kinds of reveling, it is also delicious with grilled sausages and caramelized onion.

Antica Torino Sweet Vermouth
($33, Free Run Wine Merchant)

If you like a good Manhattan, you’re going to love this Vermouth. Rather than chase a homogenous, international style of Vermouth, Antica Torino chose to focus on ingredients common in their home region of Piedmont in Italy. Rosemary, gentian, bay laurel, thyme, and other aromatics are blended with the base wine and burnt cane sugar to forge this sophisticated Vermouth that’s delightful on ice and masterful in a cocktail.

In the midst of summer’s swelter, is there any greater reward than kicking back with a frosty beverage? We’ve gone in search of cool libations to cut the humidity, attack the heat index, and bring cold comfort to your otherwise sticky evening on the patio.

Robert Weil Riesling “Trocken” 2016 ($22, The Country Vintner)
There is no shortage of wine enthusiasts who consider Riesling to be the greatest white grape for its complexity and versatility. If you think Riesling is just sticky sweet stuff, grab a bottle of this example from Weingut-Robert-Weil. Juicy stone fruit tones, minerals, saline, and an almost electric dry finish. Cheese, fish, fowl, it doesn’t matter—Riesling’s goes with almost everything.

The Brewer’s Art
Penguin Pils
($14, 16 oz six-pack, Bond Distributing)
Pils is a dry, crisp style of beer originating in the Czech Republic. Our hometown heroes at The Brewer’s Art have crafted a fine example, with medium body and a cool, snappy, hop-accented finish. Even better, a portion of the proceeds is donated to penguin research through The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. This is what we call drinking responsibly.

La Quintinye Vermouth Royal Blanc
($25, Prestige-Ledroit Distributing Company)
Hailing from France and relying on a delicious blend of fermented grape brandy as its base, this peachy, floral, lightly sweet, softly bitter aperitif needs no fancy cocktail recipe to shine. It’s a winner on the rocks with a twist of citrus, ideal for fighting back against excessive heat warnings.

Great Divide Espresso Oak-Aged Yeti Imperial Stout  
($12 per 22-ounce bottle, Legends)
Everything about this Yeti is big: Big alcohol, at nearly 10 percent, full body from roasted malt, espresso, and oak aging, and a long, hoppy finish from, well, a ton of hops. This full-figured stout is ready to face the fiercest winter weather, promising to warm you up faster than a 1,500-watt electric heater.

Bisceglia “Terra di Vulcano Aglianico del Vulture” 2015
($15, Prestige Beverage Group)
This medium-bodied red wine hails from the southern Italian region of Basilicata and is 100 percent Aglianico grape. It offers up round, juicy notes of blackberry and cherry with a hint of smoke. It finishes dry with fruit-driven tannins begging for fresh tomato sauce or heartier cheese.

Cocchi Aperitivo Americano  
($20, Prestige Beverage Group)
Americano is a riff on white vermouth, but finer and just a bit sweeter. The base spirit is dry white wine infused with cinchona bark botanicals and a bit of sugar. The result is a high-toned floral aperitif. It shows best mixed with a little sparking water and a slice of citrus to produce a delightfully light cocktail.