Martini Rosso Vino Vermouth Old Version 3 Liqueur Italy 70 cl

Some bottles just sit on a shelf. Others have lived an entire life before ever being opened. This one belongs to the second kind — a faded old bottle of Martini Rosso, its label gone soft and golden with decades in the dark, still carrying the coat of arms from an era when Martini & Rossi signed itself under a different name.

Expert's description

Martini Rosso Vermouth is an Italian vermouth from Martini & Rossi in Turin, made from a secret blend of botanicals added to white wine with caramel for its signature red colour.

This particular bottle carries the classic ornate label reading "Premiati con 40 Medaglie" and the company name "Martini e Rossi Successori Martini, Sola e C." — a label design that dates back to the late 1800s but was reused unchanged for decades afterwards. The back tells a different story: printed in German, with serving suggestions and an illustrated glass under the heading "Martini on the rocks!" — a style typically associated with the 1950s, when Martini exported heavily into German-speaking markets. The combination of the older front and the more modern back makes this bottle a small snapshot of transition in Martini & Rossi's packaging history.

The bottle holds 70 cl and shows neither size nor alcohol percentage printed visibly on the label, which is typical of several older Martini bottlings from the same period.

Tasting notes

Nose

Classic Martini Rosso is built on wormwood, quinine bark and bitter botanicals, typically showing dried orange peel, caramel and a light bitter herbal edge. On a bottle this old, the aroma will likely be muted and more oxidised than a fresh one.

Taste

The recipe behind Rosso is known for combining wormwood, quassia, savory and thyme, carried by sweetness from caramel and dried fruit. In a bottle from this era, the flavour has almost certainly evolved considerably over the decades.

Finish

Traditionally a bittersweet finish with herbs and a touch of wood. On an old, unopened bottle, the finish is a matter of theory rather than experience, since the contents should not be consumed.

Specifications

Name: Martini Rosso Vermouth
Distillery: Martini & Rossi
Region/Country: Italy
Type: Vermouth
Size: 70 CL
Bottled: Likely 1950s

Flavour profile

Spiced · Bittersweet · Herbal · Caramel-coloured · Historic

Investment potential

Medium. Older, unopened Martini bottles with a well-preserved label carry steady collector interest, especially when the front label is as clearly legible as this one. Value depends far more on label condition and fill level than on rarity itself, since Martini & Rossi produced vermouth in large volumes throughout this period.

Did you know?

The small winged female figure with the trumpet at the top of the label is an allegory of Fame — taken from a gold medal Martini won in Paris in 1878 — and she's stood in that same pose on the label for more than a century.

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Frequently asked questions about Martini Rosso Vermouth

How old is this bottle of Martini Rosso Vermouth?

The bottle was most likely bottled around the 1950s. This is estimated from the combination of the older ornate label reading "40 Medaglie" and a German-language back label in a typography and style associated with that period.

Is a vermouth this old still drinkable?

Probably not in any meaningful sense. Vermouth is an aromatised wine, and even a well-sealed bottle will have oxidised considerably over 70 years. The bottle should be treated as a collector's piece and a slice of packaging history rather than something to drink.

What makes this particular bottle interesting to collectors?

It's the well-preserved, legible label carrying the historic "Premiati con 40 Medaglie" motif, combined with a German-language back label that shows the transition between the older and more modern Martini design.

Why does the bottle say both "Martini, Sola e C." and "Martini e Rossi"?

The company was originally named Martini, Sola e C., founded in 1863 by Alessandro Martini, Teofilo Sola and Luigi Rossi. When the Sola family sold their stake in 1879, the name changed to Martini & Rossi, but the older label design continued to be used for many years afterwards.

What does "Premiati con 40 Medaglie" on the label mean?

It refers to the many international medals Martini & Rossi won at world exhibitions in cities including Dublin, Paris, Vienna and Philadelphia in the years following the company's founding — awards the brand proudly printed directly onto the bottle.

How should an old, sealed vermouth bottle be stored?

Upright or lying down, somewhere cool, dark and at a stable temperature, away from direct sunlight. Since the bottle isn't meant to be opened and drunk, storage is mainly about preserving the label and fill level.

Is the bottle worth the money as a collector's item?

Its value lies in the history and label condition rather than rarity, since Martini & Rossi produced vermouth in large volumes throughout this era. Well-preserved examples with a clear label and good fill level are what draw the most collector interest.

Who created the original Martini Rosso recipe?

It was Luigi Rossi who created the original Martini Rosso recipe in 1863, when he became a partner in the firm. The recipe remains secret today and is passed down among the company's master herbalists.