Ingredients used to make vermouth

The botanicals (leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, roots and barks) are the natural flavourings which characterise vermouth, and a wide variety is employed in vermouth production including Angelica, Bay, Camomile, Cardamon, Cinchona, Cinnamon, Clary Sage, Clove, Coriander, Dittany Of Crete, Elder, Gentain, Ginger, Hops, Juniper, Lemon Balm, Lemon Peel, Liquorice, Marjoram, Nutmeg And Mace, Orange Peel, Orice, Quassia, Raspberry, Rhubarb, Rose, Saffron, Sage, Savoy, St John's Wort, Star Anise, Thyme and Vanilla.

Additionally, vermouth to be sold in the E.U. to contain Artemisia (wormwood), and virtually all varieties of this herb contain thujone at various concentrations. Thujone is the 'bad boy' ingredient of absinthe, wrongly blamed for 'absinthe madness' and 'absinthism', with symptoms including hallucinations, facial tics, numbness and dementia. Vermouth lovers will be relieved to read that thujone is found in higher concentrations in many other foodstuffs, including sage, a culinary herb synonymous with good health. (Sage is also an ingredient in some vermouths.)

The amount of thujone in vermouth is relatively small, and the EU limits the permitted level of alcoholic beverages to less than 25% alc./vol. to just five milligrams per kilogram. Sweet vermouth generally contains less than one milligram per kilogram of thujone, and dry vermouths considerably less than that.

Alcohol is used in vermouth to both fortify the wine and as a solvent to extract and harness the flavouring substances of botanicals either by steeping alone or steeping and re-distillation. The alcohol used must be of agricultural origin and is typically a grape or beet-neutral spirit.

Sugar is crucial to balancing the various bitter botanicals used to flavour vermouth and adds body and mouthfeel. Mistelle (muted grape must) or dessert wine may be used to sweeten the base wine in addition to white cane or beet sugar. Sweet vermouth contains about 150 grams per litre of sugar, while dry vermouths typically have less than 50 grams.

Caramel used to colour red vermouth also contributes to the vermouth's body and mouth feel.