Emilio Lustau Vermut Rojo

If endless grey-sky days have you smiling and laughing less than you'd like, try inviting a few friends over for a glass of vermouth. Studies show that people who drink frequently (but moderately) live longer than those who never imbibe. This is not due to the curative properties of drink; it’s because moderate drinkers usually drink in the company of others, and social people tend to live happier, healthier, and longer lives.

Few wines pair with a casual get-together better than vermouth—an aromatised, sweetened and fortified white wine (even the red ones start as white). To be called ‘vermouth’, the mix of botanicals used as flavouring must include wormwood (‘wermut’ in German), an aromatic but bitter herb thought to aid in digestion.

Medicinal beverages, made by adding botanicals to wine, have been a part of European and Asian cultures for centuries, long before vermouth was a mid-afternoon drink best enjoyed on a patio. However, the style of sweet fortified vermouth we drink today was first popularized in Italy in 1786 by the chic cafés of Turin, before spreading throughout Europe.

Spain has embraced ‘vermut’ culture and nowadays it can be found at bars all over the country, often on-tap. Emilio Lustau Vermut Rojo comes from Jerez de la Frontera, most famous for its Sherry. This Vermouth is made with an Amontillado Sherry base and sweetened with Pedro Ximenez. It tastes best over ice with a twist of orange and an olive, and served to friends alongside a plate of jamon - $29.95 at the LCBO.