Carpano Antica Formula is the benchmark Italian sweet vermouth — a rich, aromatized and fortified wine in the grand Torino tradition — and it is poured at Grappa in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood. Made by the house of Carpano, the very name that gave the world vermouth, it is a luxurious rosso built around vanilla and dried fruit. We list it because few vermouths carry as much history or depth, and its opulent character is a joy both before the meal and in a cocktail.
About the Producer
The Carpano story begins in Turin in 1786, when Antonio Benedetto Carpano — a trained herbalist with a wine shop near the Royal Palace — fortified Muscat wine with herbs and bitters to create what is widely regarded as the first modern vermouth. The Antica Formula recipe honors that original. Carpano moved to factory production in 1898, and since 2001 the brand has belonged to Fratelli Branca Distillerie of Milan, which has faithfully preserved the formula.
Style & Production
Antica Formula is a sweet red (rosso) vermouth built on a wine base infused with wormwood and a wide array of botanicals, then sweetened and fortified. Its hallmark is vanilla, drawn from beans the house sources internationally, layered with saffron and the wormwood that defines vermouth. The ingredients are extracted and refined over a long period that intensifies their aromatics, producing a vermouth of remarkable richness and a deep amber-mahogany hue.
Tasting Notes
The nose is opulent: vanilla, dried fig and raisin, cocoa and warm baking spice. The palate is full and plush, layering that signature vanilla over bitter orange, dried fruit, saffron and a gentle herbal bitterness. The finish is long and warming, sweet but balanced by a refined bitter edge — the kind of glass to savor slowly by candlelight.
What to Pair It With
Its rich, spiced sweetness pairs beautifully with antipasti. Sip it with our Charcuterie Board, alongside Heirloom Tomatoes & Burrata, or with a plate of Saganaki. See the full dine-in menu for more.
How It’s Served at Grappa
Carpano Antica Formula is poured at $11, served chilled over a large cube with an orange twist, neat as an aperitivo, or in a cocktail.
FAQ
Where is it from?
It is made by the house of Carpano in Turin, in Italy’s Piedmont region, home of the original modern vermouth created in 1786.
What does it taste like?
It is a rich sweet vermouth with pronounced vanilla, dried fig and raisin, cocoa, bitter orange and saffron, with a long, warming finish.
What makes it distinctive?
Its luxurious vanilla-forward profile and long aromatic refinement set it apart, and it traces directly back to the Carpano house credited with inventing modern vermouth.
When you’re ready, book a table, explore the cocktail & spirits list, and browse the dine-in menu.
