Mesano Vermouth

Mesano Vermouth by the Kosmaten from Stuttgart

Mesano Vermouth by the Kosmaten is a red vermouth based on Pinot Noir from the Stuttgart region, flavored with wormwood and fortified with Sicilian blood orange spirit. Bittersweet, herbal, with a trace of bright fruit. Not your typical sweet mass-produced vermouth from a supermarket shelf.

Mesano Vermouth is a red vermouth with 18 percent alcohol by the Kosmaten from Stuttgart, made from fully ripe local Pinot Noir grapes. It begins as a red wine, then wormwood and other botanicals are added, and finally, a blood orange spirit balances the sweetness.

The label shimmers in red and gold, featuring the same mosaic aesthetic as their gin, just a shade warmer. In the glass, the vermouth is dark and dense, and as you pour it, the scent of herbs drifts upward.

Wormwood, sage, and dark fruit

The aroma features dried herbs, anise, and a trace of grass over the berry fruit of the Pinot Noir.

On the palate, Mesano Vermouth first shows its fruitiness, then the tart bitterness of the wormwood takes over, and the blood orange leaves a bright trail across it. Bittersweet, spicy, with a pleasantly tart finish—a vermouth that invites a second glass without tiring the palate.

Wormwood is the plant that gives the drink its name and is also the most demanding ingredient: too little, and the wine remains overly sweet; too much, and the bitterness overwhelms everything else. Here, the balance is just right, and the herbs remain recognizable without displacing the fruit.

On ice with a twist or as a half-Negroni

The easiest way to enjoy it is over cold ice with an orange twist—this vermouth needs nothing more. If you are trying it for the first time, you should drink it exactly like that before using it in a cocktail.

It pairs well with tonic or soda and looks excellent in a Negroni when combined with Campari and their own house Dry Gin. Olives, salted almonds, and young Pecorino are perfect for an aperitif; later in the evening, a slice of air-dried ham is also a great companion. It tastes best chilled at eight to ten degrees Celsius.

Fortified, so the fruit remains

Fortification means that high-proof alcohol is added to the young wine, stopping fermentation before the fruit sugars have fully fermented.

This is precisely what creates its bittersweet character, as the residual sweetness remains stable even after long storage and carries the herbal bitterness. The four Stuttgart friends—Tim, Fabian, Andranik, and Simon—chose Sicilian blood orange spirit instead of neutral alcohol for this, and you can taste that decision in every sip. Since 2018, they have been working under the name Kosmaten, inspired by medieval mosaic artisans.

Vermouth once traveled north from Turin, through France, Spain, and England to reach us. That it now comes from the Stuttgart area, made from Pinot Noir instead of southern white wine, is something no one in Turin back then would have ever suspected.

Serving tip

Once opened, the bottle belongs in the refrigerator, where the vermouth will stay fresh for four to six weeks. 5 cl over ice, a twist of zest, and your aperitif is ready. You can find more bottles of this kind under Vermouth, and if you would like to compare, it is worth taking a look at Helmut Wermut from the Palatinate region. The 500-ml bottle provides about ten aperitifs.