Vermouth (or Vermut in Spanish) , is a type of wine traditionally drunk in Spain before lunch, we call this act, “to have a vermouth”, and this means you will meet friends and family at around 1 PM and share this wine with a plate of chips and a plate of olives.

“Having the vermouth” is not just about drinking and opening your appetite,It is more about talking with people about how the day is going so far, and interact in the lives of others.

It is also the meeting point on Sunday after mass or just before a big family lunch when you talk and talk and talk, about what has happened during the week. It is a bit like a face time moment posting your life while sipping the wine with others. Can you go to a Spanish bar and drink Vermouth alone? Yes you can, but this is not how traditionally you drink it in Spain. This wine is served very cold in a normal glass that has 2 to 4 ice cubes, a rind of orange and sometimes an olive. The bar attendant will leave next to you a “syphon” (Seltz water bottle) so you can add to the Vermouth at your discretion. Once the Vermouth is finished you eat the olive and then go home for lunch or to the local restaurant. It is rare to have more than one glass of Vermouth, except on Sunday, when the time to “have a Vermouth” can extend for up to 2 hours, and then rush to family lunch that starts at around 3 PM. So you can imagine how happy and bubbly you are when arrive to see all your extended family...