Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/426275
50 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/2015 { aperitif hour } consistency. Giancarlo Mancino went so far as to revive a 1930s botanical mill so he could purchase unprocessed botanicals from personally vetted suppliers spanning three continents. His reasoning was that he wanted to prepare ingredients "just- in-time" for each vermouth batch, as early crushing and overly granular processing can leave a producer with stale ingredi - ents. It took Giancarlo over four years of research and development to finally settle on his botanical suppliers and his extract production process. The lessons that Mancino, Martínez Lacuesta, and Yzaguirre offer us are simple yet powerful in an industry of tirelessly misleading brand-building and "craft-washing." One cannot make excel - lent products from average ingredients, nor can one rush the process. Only with careful sourcing of base wines and botan- icals, and with the patience to macerate and age sufficiently, can one produce a vermouth deserving of its own glass or, as Pepe Salla begrudgingly acknowledges, worthy of being combined with a qual - ity spirit. "I guess you could mix it," he admits, "but why?" For more information, visit faselshenstone.com. Owner Bryn Lumsden is a proponent of artisanal vermouth, which he calls "integral to the success of a cocktail." Bartender Bryn Lumsden, who owns and manages cocktail- driven restaurant/bar Damn the Weather in Seattle, believes vermouth selections should go hand in hand with a spirits collection. "Vermouth and other fortifieds are inte - gral to the success of a cocktail; viscosity, complexity and finish will all benefit from choosing the correct vermouth for each respective drink," says Lumsden. "We like the Yzaguirre Vermouth and Mancino Vermouth ranges specifi - cally for having depth and style that engages on their own, while also being ideal companions to spirits. A delicious, artisanal vermouth on ice with an olive or twist is pretty much all anyone could ever ask for at 3 p.m. Not to mention that it will surely convert anyone who has only had average vermouth, or vermouth that has been mistreated." Angel Teta creates her Low Buzz Sour using Yzaguirre Dry Reserva Vermouth, Oregon-made Ransom Dry Gin, salted honey syrup and citrus. For Angel Teta, Bar Manager of tapas-centric Ataula in Portland, Oregon, Yzaguirre is the perfect ingredient to pair with Catalan cuisine, and any cocktail inspired by the restaurant's small plates. "Vermouth has been forgotten, or intentionally left out of cocktails, for far too long," she says, "and I am on a personal mission to change that. A product like Yzaguirre Reserva, with so much history, dedication and quality behind it, should be enjoyed not only on its own, but also in any mixed drink calling for vermouth. If you care about the bourbon, the gin, the size of the ice cube, you should also be making a conscious decision to use quality vermouth. Yzaguirre is that vermouth for us." VERMOUTH: THE BAR MANAGER'S PERSPECTIVE Bryn lumsden, damn the weather, seattle Angel teta, ataula, portland PHOTO: JOHN VALLS PHOTO: JOANN ARRUDA