Vermouth Borbone Rosso takes inspiration from a fascinating Neapolitan tradition.
In Naples, starting in the mid-1800s, it was customary to hold weekly gatherings—called periodiche—among friends, relatives, or even mere acquaintances, with the purpose of entertainment. In noble Bourbon households, these meetings often resembled literary salons, where opera singers were hired to perform arias or traditional Neapolitan songs.
Sometimes, the entertainer was a comedian performing macchiette—a humorous act somewhere between a monologue and a comic song—while cold refreshments were served. In more modest homes, instead of live performers, people would listen to songs and macchiette on a gramophone. Rather than serving expensive refreshments, hosts would offer more affordable treats like tarallucci with wine, homemade sweets, rosolio liqueurs in winter, or ice cream cups in summer. Once homemade rosolio fell out of fashion, vermouth—known locally as vermutte—began to be served instead, although it was more expensive.
Eventually, during the summer months, vermouth was replaced by beer. However, especially among lower-income groups, it often happened that only a few generous families kept the tradition alive by bearing the costs of music and refreshments. Some, out of stinginess, took to exploiting others' hospitality, attending every gathering without ever hosting one themselves. This led to frustrated hosts exclaiming: "But do you always want the vermouth at my place?" (“Ma ‘a vuó sempe ‘a me ‘a vermutta?” in Neapolitan dialect).
But why mention Vermouth in particular? The answer lies in the fact that tarallucci, wine, rosolio or beer were local products cheaper than vermouth which was a more expensive imported product that could easily arise the annoyance of the host towards the profiteer. Precisely in those years, it became customary among the nobles and the "populace" to produce a Neapolitan vermouth by reusing walnuts and spices discarded from the production of Nocino in order to flavor white wine and Marsala. Vermouth Borbone Rosso, made from Trebbiano and Moscato wines flavored with gentle absinthe, bitter orange, rhubarb, quassia and vanilla, has an elating scent with pleasant hints of spices and fruits. On the palate it tastes herbaceous and bitter and it reveals an acidity that leaves room for the balanced flavor between the warm alcoholic perception and the spicy sweetness, in a soft and fresh taste with a long round and persistent finish.
