La Hora del Vermú (Vermouth Happy Hour) unfolds in Spain between 12 and 2 p.m., typically as a prelude to lunch—remember, Spaniards usually begin their midday meal after 2 p.m., and dinner doesn’t commence until well past 10 p.m.
Every day, when La Hora del Vermú arrives, it’s customary to gather at Vermuterías (vermouth bars), cafes, and neighborhood bars to sip vermouth and nibble on Tapas like Banderillas (Bite-size treats), Gildas (skewers of anchovies, olives, and peppers), and crispy potato chips. Spaniards take their vermouth production seriously; in fact, there’s even a designated vermouth region in Catalonia known as Vermut de Reus that is consider to be among the best single designations regions for vermouth production in the world.
When in Madrid, Barcelona, Valladolid or Logroño, I love nothing more than leisurely strolling into a Vermutería and unwinding with a chilled glass of vermouth on the rocks, enhanced by just a touch of high-quality seltzer water and garnished with a slice of orange. Pairing it with a skewer of savory Manzanilla olives or snacking on salty potato chips or Gildas—it’s the pure luxury of unhurried pleasure. I usually bring my favorite book to read and sip vermouth as time goes by.
Here at 67 Wine, I have always paid special attention to our vermouth selection and I have tried to offer vermouth afficionados as many choices as possible. This has been my mission long before the trend of leisurely enjoying the virtues of vermouth hopped over to sidewalks of NYC from Europe.
Below are four exceptional Spanish vermouths to bring to your home bar:
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Perucchi Vermouth Red Gran Reserva Love to Perucchi Gran Reserva! This is a true sipping vermouth. It spends 2 years in used brandy barrels before bottling. Lots of complexity of aromas and flavors. The Combination of sweet, nutty, bitter and savory flavors is unrivaled. This is a sipping vermouth or use to craft elevated versions Manhattans and Negronis.
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Casa Mariol Catalonia Negre Vermut Another Catalan Winner. One of our best sellers at 67Wine. The base wine for this sweet red vermouth is made from Macabeu grapes. Nutty and flavorful. Perfect for sipping or vermouth Spritz!
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Distilerias Acha Atxa Vino Dry Vermouth This vermouth comes from the Basque Country in Spain and offers you a very unique set of aromas and flavors from locally sourced herbs and botanicals in the Basque Mountains. Perfect for sipping on the rocks with a sprig of thyme or in your favorite Dirty Martini.
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Lacuesta Vermouth Reserva Aged in French Oak Barrels This Riojano vermouth is made by Bodegas Martinez Lacuesta, one of the oldest family-owned wineries in Haro, Rioja. A meditative red Vermouth with incredible depth of aromas and flavors. I treat this vermouth like a brandy. I drink it from a red wine glass or a brandy tumbler. If you are going to drink it on the rocks--make sure to use good quality ice!
