Vermouth's regional split
Italian vermouth (Turin-style — sweet rosso or bianco, herbaceous), Spanish vermut (Madrid/Catalonia — sweet, often house-made on tap), French vermouth (Chambéry-dry — drier, used in cocktails). Each city below specializes in one tradition.
Turin
Turin the global vermouth birthplace. Carpano (founded 1786, the original vermouth), Cinzano, Martini & Rossi all Turin-region. Bar Cavour (since 1855), Caffè Mulassano serve aperitivo with serious vermouth selection. Negroni and Americano cocktails were both invented in Turin's bars.
Madrid
Madrid hora del vermut (vermouth hour, 12pm–2pm Sunday) deeply traditional. Bodegas with vermouth on tap (vermut de grifo) — Casa Mira, Bodegas Alfaro, La Buena Vida. €2.50–4 per glass with olives. La Latina classic vermut zone.
Reggio Emilia
Italy's lesser-known vermouth town. Quaglia (artisan producer), Storico Vermouth Reggiano. Day-trip from Bologna (45 min train).
Chambéry
French Alps town. Dolin Chambéry (the only AOP-protected French vermouth), Routin. Light, herbal, dry — different style from Italian. Day-trip from Lyon or Geneva.
Barcelona
Barcelona Catalan vermut culture stronger than Madrid's in some neighborhoods. Bodegues Maestro, Bar Velódromo. Spanish vermouth on tap an institution.
Modena
Vermouth Marolo (artisan producer in Piedmont border region). Close to Bologna's food scene.
Strategy
Italian vermouth pairs with bitter aperitifs; Spanish vermut sips solo with olives/anchovies; French dry uses cocktail. €3–8 per glass at proper bars. Tap vermut better than bottled at Spanish bars. Read our aperitivo companion.