The Bordiga distillery was founded in 1888 by Pietro Bordiga, a passionate bartender and herbalist, who was living in the northern Italian city of Torino (Turin) at the foot of the Alps. Torino was, and still is home to a thriving cafe and theater culture and is also the birthplace of Vermouth di Torino. Using his knowledge of local botanicals and the extraction of essential oils, Pietro created a recipe for vermouth that is still used today. His vermouth was greatly appreciated and requested by bartenders and cafes throughout Torino, which led him to begin producing Vermouth commercially and opening the Bordiga Distillery. 

This classic vermouth is based on both white and red wine (sweet vermouth is often made of white wine only, the color coming from caramel). The red is Nebbiolo, the white varieties are Moscato, Cortese, and Trebbiano. About 25 botanicals are used, many grown in the Occitan Alps near the distillery; the principal ones being wormwood, dittany, elderflower, cinchona bark, quassia, orange peel, Gentiana Acaulis flowers, cardamom, yarrow, and saffron.

The botanicals are individually infused in pure alcohol derived from wheat so that the extraction of each component is correct. (No purchased infusions are used.) These infusions are combined, and then blended with the different wines, and sugar is added. After cold stabilization and filtration, the vermouth is bottled; after resting for another few months it is ready to be sold. 

This excellent sweet vermouth can be drunk as an aperitivo on the rocks or with soda and will transform your Negroni or Manhattan.