Wormwood is trendy. In the slipstream of the gin and cocktail boom that has been going on for years, the good old spiced wine, which has long stood for cheap fusel and could always be found on the shelves of the super and beverage markets on the lowest shelf, has made an amazing comeback, and not only in the classic vermouth countries of Italy, France and especially Spain. In this country, too, sophisticated vermouth is now produced. The beginning was made a few years ago by the Belshazzar from Baden, the Helmut brand from Hamburg is now very popular, and wine is also flavored with herbs and spices in the Rhine-Main area. For example, at Schloss Johannisberg, where the Schloss Vermouth is made from Riesling Spätlese, tart herbs and bitter oranges – and for very sporty 39.90 euros per 0.75–liter bottle is brought to the people.
Peter Badenhop Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.
Significantly cheaper, but at least as convincing is the “Wirmut”, which the Domdechant Werner winery in Hochheim has now created and launched on the market together with the Hoffer Alter distillery in Rösrath, Berg. The name should be an indication that it is expressly a joint project of the winemaker Catharina Mauritz and the distiller Tino Müllenbach and the collaboration of two traditional family businesses.
Basis for drinks and cocktails: But the “Wirmut” also tastes pure on ice or with tonic water. : Image: Domdechant Werner
Golden yellow in the bottle, the restrained sweetened “Wirmut” shows a fine, rosy floral fragrance and typical Riesling aromas in the nose, then a pleasant freshness on the palate with notes of green apples and spicy juniper. Served pure on ice with a lemon wedge or infused with a little tonic, it is a pleasantly refreshing aperitif. It is also suitable as an ingredient for classic cocktails such as a dry martini, for which 5cl gin with 1cl Wirmut are stirred cold on ice, strained into a pre-cooled glass and finally garnished with a green olive. You can buy the Wirmut on the Internet at www.derschnapsmacher.de for 19.95 euros per 0.5 liter bottle.
