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Writer's pictureBrian Tasch

Sweet White Vermouth: The Complete Guide

Updated: Jun 26, 2022

The one and only comprehensive tasting guide to Sweet White (Blanc, Bianco, Blanco) Vermouth.


Check the individual regional Sweet White Vermouth guides for more detailed information on regional styles and recommended bottles:



If you're new to the world of vermouth, check out my Introduction to Vermouth post to learn some basics, introduce yourself to some of the terminology used, and get a general overview of how these guides are structured (and why). Then join me back here to get into the details!


Alessio Bianco

Origin: Italy

Producer: Tempus Fugit

ABV: 18%

Wine Base: Muscato, Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc

Known Botanicals: at least 15, grand and petite wormwood

Sugar: N/A

Nose: pear, bubblegum, lemon, pine, gingerbread, almond

Palate: bitter orange, honeysuckle, stone fruit, vanilla, marjoram, licorice, wormwood

Finish: wormwood, vanilla, cinnamon, marjoram, pear, grapefruit

Additional Notes: Very pale golden appearance, light body. Wonderfully balanced.


Atxa Blanco

Origin: Spain

Producer: Destilerias Acha, Distributed by De Maison Selections

ABV: 15%

Wine Grapes: Airen

Known Botanicals: at least 5, wormwood, gentian, bitter orange

Sugar: N/A

Nose: fig, raisin, marzipan, millet, vanilla, clove, gentian

Palate: vanilla, bark, cinnamon, clove, orange, poached pear, raisin, date

Finish: wormwood, vanilla, toffee, caramel, orange, cassis, currant

Additional Notes: Pale amber color. Light body. Very confectionary. The bitter notes play on the sugar in a way that almost emulates crème brûlée. This lands somewhere between dry vermouth and a light cream sherry.


Berto Aperitiv dla Tradission

Origin: Italy

Producer: Carlo Quaglia, distributed by Kermit Lynch

ABV: 17%

Wine Base: Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc, Cortese, Arneis

Known Botanicals: at least 16, wormwood, bitter orange, gentian, cardamom, vanilla, coriander, mint, mace, hops, thyme, marjoram, lemon, cinnamon, clove, rhubarb, angelica

Sugar: 140 g/l

Nose: vanilla, cinnamon, raisin, gentian, lemon, marzipan, marjoram, fennel, straw

Palate: grapefruit, cinnamon, wormwood, gentian, mint, eucalyptus, orange, lemon

Finish: cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, lemon, wormwood, orange, clove

Additional Notes: Pale amber appearance.

Bordiga Bianco

Origin: Italy

Producer: Bordiga, distributed by Oliver McCrum Wines

ABV: 18%

Wine Base: Moscato

Known Botanicals: at least 35, wormwood, gentian root, gentian flower, nutmeg, coriander, fennel seed, juniper, cinchona, marjoram, lime, mint, cardamom, orange peel, pepper, vanilla, genzianella flower, sage

Sugar: 190 g/l

Nose: lime, sage, juniper, cinnamon, fennel, coriander, grapefruit, black pepper

Palate: fennel, gentian, chamomile, honey, dark chocolate, toffee, bread

Finish: vanilla, cinnamon, clove, orange, chamomile, nutmeg

Additional Notes: Straw yellow color. Light and oily body. Warming confectionary notes perfectly balanced with bitter citrus.


Brovo Pretty Blanc Floral

Origin: USA

Producer: Brovo Spirits

ABV: 19.9%

Wine Base: Pinot Gris

Known Botanicals: at least 7, vanilla bean, cardamom, elderflower, chamomile, lemon peel, comfrey, angelica

Sugar: 80 g/l

Nose: green cardamom, elderflower, ginger, lemon, line, clove, Mandarin orange, pear

Palate: green cardamom, elderflower, vanilla, mandarin orange, lemon, mugwort, hay, ginger, allspice

Finish: green cardamom, elderflower, clove, mandarin orange, lemon, lime, vanilla, hay

Additional Notes: Golden orange-tinted straw color. Medium-light body. Unfiltered which results in a slightly cloudy appearance. Sweetened with agave nectar. By EU classification, its sugar content would place it in the Semi-Dry category. The botanicals are macerated in both the wine base and the fortifying neutral spirit. Very floral and confectionary with a pleasant bitterness. Full of green cardamom, elderflower, and Mandarin orange from nose to finish. Looks like I picked up an older bottle as the new bottlings have updated labeling and have replaced "floral" with "blanc."


C. Comoz Blanc

Origin: France

Producer: Dolin, distributed by Haus Alpenz

ABV:16%

Wine Base: N/A

Known Botanicals: wormwood

Sugar: N/A

Nose: oregano, juniper, nectarine, lemon oil, tarragon

Palate: vanilla, black cherry, cinnamon, wormwood, orange, cinchona

Finish: wormwood, vanilla, sarsaparilla, faint straw, black cherry, cinnamon

Additional Notes: Very light gold color. C. Comoz Blanc is a lighter, less sweet style of white vermouth. Light/med body, nice round mouthfeel. Warm and confectionary. Surprisingly bitter for a blanc vermouth. Credited with being the first crystal clear vermouth, though not the first white/blanc. This was the original vermouth used in the El Presidente. Shuttered in 1981, but has since been revived by Dolin and reintroduced back into the market.


Carpano Bianco

Origin: Italy

Producer: Carpano

ABV: 14.9%

Wine Base: Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc, Chardonnay, Cortese

Known Botanicals: at least 12, wormwood, thyme, fennel, coriander, ginger, clove, chamomile, hyssop

Sugar: 178 g/l

Nose: gentian, honey, moss, lemon oil, anise, coriander, eucalyptus

Palate: honey, lemon, pine, grapefruit, cinnamon, vanilla, orange, sweet cream

Finish: mineralic, grapefruit, lemon, cherry, gentian, honey, late anise

Additional Notes: Light straw color. Reminiscent of a bitter orange creamsicle.

Cinzano Bianco

Origin: Italy

Producer: Cinzano, distributed by Campari Group

ABV: 15%

Wine Base: Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc

Known Botanicals: at least 4, wormwood, clove, cinnamon, gentian

Sugar: N/A

Nose: cinnamon, apple cider, sea salt, marjoram, thyme

Palate: ripe stone fruit, honey, clove, cinnamon, lemon, vanilla

Finish: gentian, grapefruit, cinnamon, clove, vanilla

Additional Notes: Light straw yellow. Medium/light body. Pleasantly bitter and confectionary, big on dry baking spice notes.

Contratto Bianco

Origin: Italy

Producer: Contratto

ABV: 18%

Wine Base: Cortese, Chardonnay

Known Botanicals: at least 50, wormwood, hawthorn leaves & flowers, coriander, marjoram, bay laurel, chamomile, yellow sweet clover, aloe juice, cinnamon, mint, ginger, angelica root, cardamom, nutmeg, bitter orange peel, gentian, nettle, sweet orange peel, carob tree pods, pimento seeds, felon herb, rhubarb root, hibiscus, sage, cinchona bark, lemon peel, bergamot orange peel, licorice root, sandalwood

Sugar: 190 g/l

Nose: sage, marjoram, lemon, licorice, sea salt, cumin, coriander, curry leaf, gentian

Palate: gentian, wormwood, sea salt, lemon, sage, fennel, vanilla, orange, cinnamon

Finish: wormwood, rhubarb, orange, cinnamon, chamomile, sea salt, cinchona

Additional Notes: Light golden color. Medium body. Bitter through and through. Dense salinity and candied grapefruit notes.

Del Professore Bianco

Origin: Italy

Producer: Del Professore

ABV: 18%

Wine Base: Muscato

Known Botanicals: at least 15, wormwood

Sugar: N/A

Nose: licorice, straw, mahogany, tea, vanilla, clove, tarragon

Palate: ginger, orange, cinnamon, vanilla, rosemary, charcoal, smoked wood

Finish: cinchona, gentian, clove, cranberry, rosemary, anise

Additional Notes: Rich golden color. Oily body. Smoky, bitter herbal notes concede to the confectionary notes when diluted.


Dolin Blanc

Origin: France

Producer: Dolin, distributed by Haus Alpenz

ABV: 16%

Wine Base: Ugni Blanc/Trebbiano

Known Botanicals: 33 total, wormwood, gentian, hibiscus, basil, cinnamon

Sugar: 130 g/l

Nose: bark, menthol, sea salt, pine, banana, vanilla, thyme

Palate: vanilla, white grape, pear, pineapple, lemon, elderflower, oregano, cinnamon

Finish: elderflower, vanilla, pear, cinnamon, lemon

Additional Notes: Pale yellow/green tinge. Light body. Floral with notes of tropical fruit and plenty of vanilla through and through.


El Bandarra Blanco

Origin: Spain

Producer: El Bandarra

ABV: 15%

Wine Base: 50% Garnacha Blanca, 50% Xarello

Known Botanicals: at least 40, including wormwood

Sugar: N/A

Nose: vanilla, mint, cinchona, orange, papaya, lemon, almond, strawberry

Palate: vanilla, wormwood, toasted marshmallow, orange, cinchona, thyme, juniper, candied almonds

Finish: vanilla, wormwood, toasted marshmallow, orange, coffee, cinnamon, ginger, cinchona

Additional Notes: Light straw yellow color. Medium-bodied with a slightly oily texture. Perfectly balanced between the confectionary and bitter. Vanilla and orange dominate the palate. Dilution brings out lots of cream soda notes. More of a ginger heat rather than the expected cinnamon. An absolute delight to sip on its own or in cocktails.


La Quintinye Blanc Vermouth Royal

Origin: France

Producer: La Quintinye

ABV: 16%

Wine Base: Ungi Blanc/Trebbiano

Known Botanicals: 18 total, wormwood, vine flower, angelica root, iris root, cardamom, cinnamon, bitter orange, nutmeg, ginger, cinchona, licorice, quassia amara

Sugar: N/A

Nose: lavender, orange zest, rosemary, grape, vanilla, licorice, eucalyptus, pine

Palate: green cardamom, cinnamon, lemon, ripe apple, clove, gentian, orange

Finish: lemon, licorice, green cardamom, cinnamon, chamomile

Additional Notes: Pale gold color. Light body. Bitter, bright, and citrusy. Fortified and sweetened with Pineau des Charentes.


Lacuesta Blanco

Origin: Spain

ABV: 15%

Wine Grapes: N/A

Known Botanicals: at least 20, wormwood

Sugar: 104.5 g/l

Nose: cinnamon, raisin, orange, chamomile, vanilla, clove, pear, cognac, straw

Palate: cinnamon, raisin, honey, chamomile, lemon, vanilla, cinchona, ginger, licorice

Finish: cinnamon, raisin, honey, apple, vanilla, sea salt, wormwood

Additional Notes: Pale orange/deep straw yellow. A cinnamon/raisin bomb. Nice full body despite the low sugar content which technically places it in the semi-sweet category rather than sweet.

Lustau Blanco

Origin: Spain

Producer: Lustau

ABV: 15%

Wine Base: Palomino, Moscatel

Known Botanicals: 9 total, wormwood, chamomile, gentian, marjoram, orange peel, rosemary

Sugar: 144 g/l

Nose: mineralic, sage, sea salt, bark, oregano, raspberry, cinchona

Palate: hazelnut, blackberry, orange, spearmint, sea salt, nutmeg, lemon, vanilla

Finish: hazelnut, nutmeg, wormwood, vanilla, sea salt, blackberry

Additional Notes: Light straw yellow color. A blend of Fino sherry and Moscatel wine. Medium body. Bitter and nutty.

Lustau Rose

Origin: Spain

Producer: Lustau

ABV: 15%

Wine Base: Palomino, Moscatel, Tintilla de Rota

Known Botanicals: at least 5, wormwood, cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla, chamomile

Sugar: 145.5 g/l

Nose: vanilla, thyme, oregano, cedar, sea salt, fig, raisin

Palate: vanilla, orange, strawberry, rose geranium, green cardamom, marzipan, cream, grapefruit

Finish: oregano, marjoram, vanilla, orange, strawberry, cream, rose geranium

Additional Notes: Rose-gold appearance. Vanilla through and through. Reminiscent of an orange creamsicle. A little dilution really helps bring the bitter notes out.


Mancino Bianco Ambrato

Origin: Italy

Producer: Mancino

ABV: 16%

Wine Base: Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc

Known Botanicals: 37 total, wormwood, angelica, chamomile, elderflower, gentian, cinchona, mint, ginger, cardamom, licorice, sweet orange peel, pink grapefruit peel

Sugar: N/A

Nose: angelica, chamomile, elderflower, mint

Palate: sweet orange, ginger, pink grapefruit peel, aloe, chamomile

Finish: quinine, cardamom, licorice

Additional Notes: Golden-amber color. Sweet without the bitter backbone found in other Mancino vermouths.

Mancino Sakura (2018)

Origin: Italy

Producer: Mancino

ABV: 18%

Wine Base: Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc

Known Botanicals: 20 total, wormwood, cherry blossom petals, violet petals

Sugar: N/A

Nose: orange, vanilla, cinnamon, lychee, pineapple, elderflower, papaya, honeysuckle

Palate: cherry blossom, rose, lavender, gentian, grapefruit, lemon oil, raspberry

Finish: wormwood, lemon, vanilla, cherry blossom

Additional Notes: Light rose color. Limited release originally for the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Tokyo.

Martini and Rossi Bianco

Origin: Italy

Producer: Martini & Rossi, distributed by Bacardi Limited

ABV: 15%

Wine Base: Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc, Catarratto

Known Botanicals: at least 14, two different wormwood varieties, dittany, raspberry, vanilla flowers, rose, violet, chamomile, Spanish lemon peel, bitter orange peel, cascarilla bark, quassia bark, orris root, Ceylon cinnamon

Sugar: 160 g/l

Nose: cumin, oregano, tobacco ash, bay leaf

Palate: vanilla, baked apple, cinnamon, lemon oil, bay leaf

Finish: marshmallow, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon

Additional Notes: Pale yellow tint. A vanilla bomb. Light/medium body.

Martini and Rossi Riserva Speciale Ambrato

Origin: Italy

Producer: Martini & Rossi, distributed by Bacardi Limited

ABV: 18%

Wine Base: Moscato D'Asti

Known Botanicals: at least 18, three different wormwood varieties, red sandalwood, Roman chamomile, Chinese rhubarb, dittany, raspberry, vanilla flowers, rose, violet, Spanish lemon peel, bitter orange peel, cascarilla bark, quassia bark, orris root, Ceylon cinnamon, Ecuadorian yellow cinchona bark

Sugar: 169 g/l

Nose: honey, honeysuckle, black pepper, peach, clove, banana

Palate: woody bitterness, lemon oil, honey, clove, strawberry, black pepper, Chinese rhubarb

Finish: cinnamon, vanilla, grapefruit, nutty, sea salt, black pepper

Additional Notes: Deep amber color (hence “Ambrato”). Vermouth di Torino. Not technically a bianco vermouth as Martini describes it as a new style, but sugar content and color allow it to straddle the line. Rich and complex.


Mata Blanco

Origin: Spain

Producer: Mata, imported by Ole & Obrigado

ABV: 15%

Wine Base: Godello

Known Botanicals: at least 5 including wormwood, bitter orange, sage, thyme, star anise

Sugar: N/A

Nose: tamarind, clove, orange, sea salt, vanilla, worshestershire

Palate: brown sugar, bananas foster, vanilla, cinchona, orange, fig

Finish: cinchona, vanilla, allspice, cacao, orange, strawberry

Additional Notes: Green tinted straw yellow. Medium body. Sweetened with grape must. Fortified with neutral grape distillate. Botanicals are macerated in base wine for 40 days before filtration and fortification.


Maurin Blanc

Origin: France

Producer: Maurin, distributed by Pacific Edge Wine & Spirits

ABV: 17%

Wine Base: N/A

Known Botanicals: N/A, wormwood

Sugar: N/A

Nose: gentian, orange, lemon, clove, cinchona, cinnamon, apple, raisin, juniper, banana

Palate: orange, lemon, cinnamon, clove, hay, apple, cranberry, green cardamom, gentian

Finish: orange, vanilla, clove, mushroom, lemon, cinchona, raisin, straw, fennel

Additional Notes: Rich amber color. Similar to the Maurin Dry, but obviously more robust on account of the higher sugar content. Has the most movement on the palate of any Maurin aromatized wine, making for a particularly interesting expression. Works well in cocktails.


Perucchi Bianco

Origin: Spain

Producer: Perucchi

ABV: 15%

Wine Base: N/A

Known Botanicals: at least 40, wormwood

Sugar: 126 g/l

Nose: clove, cinnamon, honey, orange, jasmine, baked apple, vanilla, gentian

Palate: baked apple, ginger, cinnamon, clove, gentian, cherry, orange, lemon, jasmine, honeysuckle

Finish: ginger, vanilla, orange, clove, allspice

Additional Notes: Light straw color. Claims to be the oldest vermouth producer in Spain. Mild, light body.


Routin Blanc

Origin: France

ABV: 16.9%

Wine Base: Sauvignon, Jacquere

Known Botanicals: 18 total, wormwood, vanilla, thyme, cinnamon, elderflower

Sugar: 110 g/l

Nose: apple, thyme, elderflower, lemon, honey, orange

Palate: lychee, cinnamon, orange peel, chamomile, honey, cinchona, baked apple

Finish: raisin, clove, cinnamon, tarragon, vanilla, orange

Additional Notes: Pale yellow color. Sweet on the palate with a medium/light body. Begs for dilution. Chambery style vermouth. Technically a semi-sweet white vermouth rather than a sweet white vermouth on account of sugar content.


Scarpa Bianco

Origin: Italy

Producer: Scarpa

ABV: 17%

Wine Base: Cortese (70%), Muscato (30%)

Known Botanicals: at least 8, wormwood, angelica seed, bitter orange peel, green cardamom, cinchona bark, Swertia bough, coriander seed, elecampane root

Sugar: 145 g/l

Nose: gentian, poppy, spearmint, grapefruit, eucalyptus, green bell pepper, coriander

Palate: lemon, grapefruit, gentian, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg

Finish: grapefruit, vanilla, cinnamon, cinchona

Additional Notes: Golden color. Vermouth di Torino. Thinner body with a bitter palate that sweetens on the finish.


Vidte Blanco

Origin: Spain

ABV: 15%

Wine Base: Muscat

Known Botanicals: wormwood

Sugar: N/A

Nose: white grape, sage, cinnamon, nutmeg, apple, eucalyptus, forest floor

Palate: orange, green apple, pine, grapefruit, lavender, vanilla

Finish: wormwood, cinnamon, pear, grapefruit, orange

Additional Notes: Golden color. Very light body. Bitter, bright, and very acidic.


Notably Missing: Gancia Bianco, Guerin Blanc, Maurin Blanc, Miro Blanc, Montanaro Bianco, and Parini Bianco. Will accept donations of any missing vermouths.


Vermouth Guides


Check the individual regional Vermouth guides for more detailed information on regional styles and recommended bottles:


Dry Vermouth



Sweet White Vermouth



Sweet Red Vermouth


Quinquina and Americano



Gentian Liqueurs



Please send updates and corrections to brian@corpserevived.com.

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