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Made according to tradition – by infusing wine with an array of botanicals, including the all-important wormwood – Michael foraged for 24 ‘parent’ flowers and herbs from the land. He now grows them sustainably in their 200-year-old Walled Garden, but not without a helping hand from some rather endearing creatures, Hungarian mangalitsa pigs. ‘The Walled Garden had had very little attention and was needing to be cleared of overgrown weeds,’ says Michael. ‘We didn’t just want to spray herbicide everywhere so luckily we found these wonderful pigs to help us. They have lovely little characters. They bark like dogs and look like sheep. The breeding sows are named after the Gábor sisters.’ Of course, the precise vermouth recipe is known only to Michael and Lady Jane, but a mere peek behind the scenes shows the abundance of natural treasures they use. ‘There’s juniper, coriander, oris root,’ begins Michael. ‘Then we look to build the flavour profile because the British wine we use is so neutral. We add things that add floral notes and acidity, like elderflower, heather flower and lemon balm. ‘Then you want something that’s like going for a walk in the hills in the springtime; that crisp, freshness. A lot of that comes from weeds, nettles and even sticky willy – so it’s not just for throwing at your younger brother!’ The Compounding House, which is watched over by
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Michael’s topiary ‘Vermouth Gods’, can only be described as a floral paradise – stacked floor to ceiling with glass vessels of infusions, with a heavenly scent permeating the air. ‘That’s one of the nice things about making vermouth,’ says Michael. ‘If you run a brewery it smells like a brewery, if you make wine it smells like vinegar, but this is like a flower shop.’ The flowers and herbs are dried without heat and are infused with no agitation to maintain as much of their delicate floral notes as possible. No sweeteners or additives are included, allowing the botanicals to sing through. ‘A bottle lasts two weeks in the fridge when open,’ says Michael, before explaining the best way to enjoy a vermouth martini is by ignoring James Bond’s advice – ‘Swirled, not stirred,’ he says. Thereafter you can cook with it to make risottos, fish sauces or even to roast lamb or poach pears. From ground to glass, Michael has taken a timeless classic back to basics. Perhaps the start of a new drinks revolution? ‘If the Vermouth Gods are happy, the vermouth is good,’ he says. And as far as I can see, they seem to have their beaming red eyes on the prize. great-british-vermouth.com Clockwise from top left: Vermouth spritzer; Michael casts an eye over his infusions and makes plans to launch a sweet red vermouth and a quarter-bottle size dry vermouth; ‘Vermouth Gods’ keep a watchful eye on proceedings; pigs clearing the way for botanicals.
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