U.S. Certification Unlocks a New Realm for ‘Vermouth di Torino’: The Quest for Authenticity
US Certification for ‘Vermouth di Torino’: A Game-Changer in Authenticity
To carry the ‘Vermouth di Torino’ label in the U.S., the product must adhere to stringent criteria. At least half of the base wine has to be sourced from Piemontese grapes, and it must be infused chiefly with Artemisia genus botanicals, most notably wormwood— the root word for ‘vermouth.’ The wormwood capital? Pancalieri, just south of Turin. Sweetness levels in Vermouth di Torino can swing from extra secco (under 30 grams of sugar per litre) to full-on sweet (130 grams or more), and the hues can be white, amber, rosé, or red.
December 2020: Consorzio del Vermouth di Torino initially filed the U.S. registration. It had to align with Italian law, recognizing the product as a Geographical Indication from Italy’s Piemonte wine region, whose capital is Turin.
Roberto Bava, the Managing Director of Cocchi and Consorzio President, stated: “Securing the U.S. Certification Mark was neither a cakewalk nor a given. It demanded three years of rigorous collaboration with historic Vermouth di Torino producers, who opened up their archives to provide essential documentation. This collective effort validated Vermouth di Torino’s continuous U.S. presence since 1866.”
Cocchi is among 35 producers crafting Vermouth di Torino, which gained Geographical Designation from the European Community in 1991. In March 2017, Italy’s Ministry of Agricultural, Food, and Forestry Policies conferred upon it Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP) status. The European Union followed suit in April 2019.
Pierstefano Berta, the Consorzio Director, emphasized: “U.S. registration is pivotal for the Vermouth di Torino IGP’s integrity and oversight. It’s a high-stakes market for us. Achieving this certification fortifies our producers and ensures product authenticity for consumers.”
The Consorzio’s next frontier? Securing Vermouth di Torino’s geographical indication in Canada.
