Bianco Vermouth
Bianco vermouth is a white aromatised wine at a working figure of 16% ABV, so 25ml is about 0.4 UK units. Dolin gives 16% for its white vermouth, and a wholesaler’s listing for Martini Bianco gives 15%. It is the vermouth in our Gin Blossom, where 45ml sits against 45ml of gin and 22.5ml of apricot eau-de-vie. Bianco is Italian for white, and blanc is the French word. It names a colour and a style, and the law attaches no sugar band to it. Sulphites are declared on the label.
Quick Facts
A cool cupboard until it is opened, then the fridge, tightly capped, with the date written on the label.
Contains: sulphites. Sulphites, declared on the label above 10mg per kilo or litre. Check the bottle.
About Bianco Vermouth
Flavour Profile
Primary Flavours
Tasting Notes
Dolin’s notes for its white are Alpine herbs, citrus, broom flowers and elderflower, almond and ripe peach.
The regulation calls it an aromatised wine
Regulation (EU) 251/2014, as retained in UK law, says in Article 3 that an aromatised wine is made from grapevine products that make up at least 75% of the total volume, may have alcohol added, and has an actual strength of at least 14.5% ABV and under 22%. Annex II defines vermouth as an aromatised wine with alcohol added whose characteristic taste comes from Artemisia species. A bianco vermouth meets that definition. The colour is the difference.
Bianco has no legal sugar band
Article 6 fixes the sugar words: extra-dry under 30 grams a litre, dry under 50, semi-dry from 50 to under 90, semi-sweet from 90 to under 130 and sweet at 130 or more. Bianco is not among them, so the word gives the colour and not the sugar. Dolin, which says the white style of vermouth was created in Savoie in 1881, describes its white vermouth as richer and sweeter than its dry, made with 32 herbs and spices, at 16%.
Bianco vermouth against its neighbours (sugar bands from Regulation (EU) 251/2014; strengths from our pages and the producers named)
Bianco
- Colour
- White
- Sugar
- No legal band; the producer says
- Strength
- 15 to 16% (Dolin 16%; Martini Bianco 15% at LWC)
- Where it works
- Gin Blossom; over ice as an aperitif
Dry
- Colour
- Pale
- Sugar
- Under 50g/L if labelled dry
- Strength
- About 18% on our page
- Where it works
- Martini, Bamboo
Sweet
- Colour
- Red
- Sugar
- 130g/L or more if labelled sweet
- Strength
- About 16% on our page
- Where it works
- Whiskey and red-bitter drinks
| Style | Colour | Sugar | Strength | Where it works |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bianco | White | No legal band; the producer says | 15 to 16% (Dolin 16%; Martini Bianco 15% at LWC) | Gin Blossom; over ice as an aperitif |
| Dry | Pale | Under 50g/L if labelled dry | About 18% on our page | Martini, Bamboo |
| Sweet | Red | 130g/L or more if labelled sweet | About 16% on our page | Whiskey and red-bitter drinks |
Use the style the recipe names
A recipe written for dry vermouth turns softer and sweeter if bianco goes in, and the reverse swap leans the other way. The Gin Blossom is written for bianco: 45ml of gin, 45ml of bianco and 22.5ml of apricot eau-de-vie, stirred. Vermouth explained sets out the styles and the keeping rule.
Using Bianco Vermouth
Usage
Stir 45ml with 45ml of gin and 22.5ml of apricot eau-de-vie for a Gin Blossom. Or pour it over ice, as Dolin does with its white, with a strip of lemon.
Pro Tip
Taste a bianco before it goes into a stirred drink. Sweetness differs by producer, and the word on the label does not say how much.
Top Tips
- Read the producer’s description for sugar. The word bianco does not give it.
- Buy the smallest bottle sold. A Gin Blossom takes 45ml and an opened bottle is good for a few weeks.
- Keep it in the fridge once opened and write the date on the label.
Possible Substitutions
- Dry Vermouth: Drier and more herbal; a drink written for bianco turns leaner
- Sweet Vermouth: Red and sweeter; changes the colour as well as the flavour
- Lillet: A French aperitif wine, not a vermouth; softer and fruitier than dry
Production Method
A wine base flavoured with herbs and spices, including Artemisia, with alcohol added and sugar set to the producer’s style. Dolin names 32 herbs and spices for its white.
History & Context
Dolin says the white style of vermouth was created in Savoie in 1881. Bianco is the Italian word for white, and blanc is the French.
More to explore
Common Questions
What is bianco vermouth?
How strong is bianco vermouth?
Is bianco vermouth sweet?
Can I use bianco instead of dry vermouth?
Does bianco vermouth contain sulphites?
How long does bianco vermouth keep once opened?
How do I drink bianco vermouth?
Sources.
Correct as of 1 November 2026.
- legislation.gov.uk, “Regulation (EU) No 251/2014, Article 3 (as retained in UK law)” (aromatised wine: grapevine products at least 75% of the volume; alcohol may be added; actual strength at least 14.5% and under 22%).
- legislation.gov.uk, “Regulation (EU) No 251/2014, Article 6 (as retained in UK law)” (the sugar words: extra-dry under 30g/L, dry under 50, semi-dry 50 to under 90, semi-sweet 90 to under 130, sweet 130 or more; no band for bianco).
- legislation.gov.uk, “Regulation (EU) No 251/2014, Annex II (as retained in UK law)” (vermouth: aromatised wine with alcohol added whose characteristic taste comes from Artemisia species).
- legislation.gov.uk, “Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex II (as retained in UK law)” (point 12: sulphur dioxide and sulphites above 10mg/kg or 10mg/litre are a declared allergen).
- Dolin, “White Vermouth” (maker’s page: 16%; white style created in Savoie in 1881; richer and sweeter than the dry; 32 herbs and spices; served over ice; tasting notes).
- LWC (UK drinks wholesaler listing), “Martini Bianco 75cl” (listing: 15% ABV, fortified wine, vermouth and aperitifs, Italy; allergens sulphur dioxide and sulphites).
- NHS, “Calculating alcohol units” (units from ABV and volume; the 14-units-a-week guidance, spread over 3 or more days).
From the Guides
Made with Bianco Vermouth
Featured In These Cocktails
Often Used With
Guide by Jerry Can Spirits · Updated 1 November 2026