Vermouth amaro/Vino amari

Amaro means 'bitter' in Italian, and amari is plural for amaro. Vermouth amari are wine-based and include wormwood, and these should not be confused with the more popular category of spirit-based amari liqueurs.

Although there are comparatively few vermouth amari compared to the crowded spirit-based amari market, styles of vermouth amaro range from relatively sweet and light through to more bitter and robust. Hence, on Difford's Guide, we have three categories of vermouth amaro:

- Light (e.g. Cardamaro)
- Medium (e.g. Cocchi Vermouth Amaro)
- Robust & full (e.g. Punt E Mes)

In addition to these vermouth amari, there is another single grape variety of aromatized and fortified wine from Italy's Piedmont region called chinato, which is bittered by the addition of quinine, 'china' in Italian, hence the name chinato. Some chinatos are also classified as vermouths, but we have a separate classification for chinato.

None of the above should be confused with the predominantly French-made kina and quinquinas, which are also aromatized and fortified wines bittered with chinchona but usually without wormwood.