Aperitivo Through the Ages

The winemaking tradition merges with the origins of humanity and is rooted in all cultures. The first cellar in history was found in Armenia and dates back to 4100 BC. During the ancient age, winemaking expanded throughout the Mediterranean, particularly in Phoenicia and Greece. From these people the ancient Romans learned the art of making wine and perfected it, improving production techniques and consumption methods.

The MARTINI Wine Museum, the first of its kind in Italy and among the first in the world, tells the story of the thousand-year evolution of this refined liquid, which is the main ingredient of aperitifs and sparkling wines produced by the historic Italian brand.

Wine in ancient times was characterized by a bitter flavour, a high alcohol content and a dark colour: it was necessary to dilute it with water and mix it with herbs and resins to make it lighter and more pleasant on the palate. 

Wormwood and other bitter essences were added to the wine to stimulate the appetite. The wine was then filtered and served in cups during the banquet. Numerous scholars described how to make and flavor wine, but after the fall of the Roman Empire these winemaking techniques were mostly forgotten in the West. They survived in the East, where they were developed and improved.

In the following centuries, commercial and cultural exchanges favored the spread of aromatized wines in Europe. The common characteristic of these wines was that they contained artemisia absinthium among the ingredients: a Latin term that was translated into various languages, among which the German "wermouth" prevailed.

Wine aromatized with artemisia (or "wermouth") arrived in Turin in the second half of the 18th century due to the links between the Savoy and Austrian courts. It was an immediate success, so much so that Piedmontese winemakers began to produce their own versions. The optimal conditions for the cultivation of raw materials - grapes and aromatic herbs - combined with knowledge in the oenological field contributed to making production flourish: thus, the "Vermouth of Turin" was born.

In the first half of the 19th century, vermouth production techniques were perfected and this resulted in the start of industrial-scale manufacturing. Furthermore, in Turin there were numerous cafés, places of sociality and culture where the vermouth trend was raging and where the convivial moment par excellence was spreading: that of the "aperitivo" (aperitif).

In this context, three young entrepreneurs, Alessandro Martini, Teofilo Sola and Luigi Rossi, founded Martini Sola e C.ia in 1863, a company for the production of vermouth and ancestor of Martini & Rossi.

Therefore production was established in 1864 at the Pessione site, near Turin, a place that had all the necessary characteristics. In a few decades the factory became "The largest factory of Italian vermouth in the world", as evidenced by the documents of the time preserved in the Martini Historical Archive. This plant is still active and the Martini vermouth continues to be crafted in Pessione, today as yesterday.

In its iconographic evolution, the Martini label presents lines of continuity from the nineteenth century until today: from the sumptuous allegorical illustrations to the ever-increasing importance of the logo that dominates the iconographic compositions from 1920s onwards. This bottle timeline demonstrates a stylistic development that reaches the present day in a process of constant innovation.

By observing the gallery of advertising posters with the virtual tour of Casa Martini, it is easy to grasp their evolution from the end of the 19th century to the mid-20th century. The posters commissioned by the company, true works of art, support the affirmation of the brand in the world markets. Some of the biggest names in advertising illustration designed the Martini posters, with different style and inspiration, but with the same desire to best interpret the spirit of the times and the soul of the product.

While the era of advertising posters was waning in the second half of the twentieth century, new forms of communication were introduced. Among the most innovative we can mention the birth of the Terrazza Martini: an idea that achieved immediate success thanks to its effective simplicity.

There were two key elements, the locations and the guests: elegant halls on the top floors of skyscrapers in the center of the most important cities in the world welcomed the great personalities of every country and every sector. The first Terrazza Martini was inaugurated in 1948 in Paris: it was followed by those in Milan (1958), Brussels, London, Barcelona,​​ Geneva, San Paolo, Genoa and Pessione (1961). The unifying element between these places and the people who frequented them was the famous aperitif, Martini.

From the classic Martini "on the rocks", through the Martini & Tonic serve, to the iconic Americano cocktail, the tradition of mixed drinking has been influenced by the world of bartending. In the mid-twentieth century, Martini & Rossi contributed to the foundation of Italian and international bartending associations. In 1966, the company launched an award dedicated to young bartenders. Among the other activities which support bartenders, the creation of cocktail books is particularly important, and the Martini Library preserves numerous editions and samples.

Thanks to the quality of the product, the commercial strategy and the effectiveness of the communication initiatives, Martini quickly became a recognized symbol of Made in Italy. In a chronological and experiential journey, which starts from the origins to reach the present day, Casa Martini takes you on a journey to discover the traditions, people and innovations that have made Martini a synonym of aperitifs throughout the world.