Mancino Vermouth was born in 2011 in small family-run distillery in Asti, Piedmont. The distillery was established over 60 years ago in 1957 and inspired Giancarlo Mancino (pictured above), owner of the brand Mancino, to compose his own vermouth using only the finest hand-picked spices and botanicals. We had the chance to ask Giancarlo Mancino a few questions about his brand, and being an industry entrepreneur. Here’s what he had to say:
You are a bar industry entrepreneur, with several different businesses under your belt, tell us a little bit about your background and businesses?
I started at a very young age as a bartender in London. But my curiosity and passion led me to start traveling the world and starting my own consultancy firm called Giancarlo Bar and eventually starting my research of the Aperitivo culture and history, until I finally launched my own Vermouth in 2012 at the BCB in Berlin. Now, I am the co-owner of
Mancino Vermouth, as recently part of it has been bought by the Amaro Lucano Family; Rinomato, which is a collection of three Aperitivo style products born from a collaboration with my US Partners Fasel Shenstone, Bocktailed, my tailored bottled cocktails platform and the mind behind SeiBellissimi, a project of Sparkling bottled cocktails all made in Italy.
How and why did you start Mancino Vermouth?
I really wanted to start my own Vermouth brand. As a consultant I was struggling with the quality I was seeing around, and told myself it was time to create an exceptional product that could travel the world with me. I did everything by myself, I had no partners, I just rolled up my sleeves and believed in the project. First of all, I found an artisan company in Piedmont, active since 1957: I immediately saw its potential and convinced myself that I had the opportunity to try one of my recipes, improving it more and more as well as improving the production methods. Traditional, yes, but with some technologies that allow an excellent result.
We started with three products: the Mancino Vermouth di Torino Secco, Bianco and Rosso. But have recently launched Mancino Sakura and the Mancino Kopi, two “new world” products bringing together Japan and of course, the south of Italy.
What makes Mancino so special?
The quality that’s inside every bottle. The passion behind it. The transparency on the label. Everything that makes this product something very unique. It’s not an old-school product with 100 years of history, as it’s not a new world vermouth with an unusual compound in it, or an over-complicated structure. It’s my idea of a vermouth: traditional, talking about the core range, and modern, such as the Sakura and the Kopi.
“I surely have seen a bigger interest in the culture of aperitifs, aromatised wines and bitters. And not only used in the most classic of the cocktails, but perhaps in new ways, with modern technologies around them. The low-abv wave has surely helped the category to grow, people are looking much more into the actual quality and history behind a brand.”
How are bartenders’ perceptions changing around aromatised wine?
I surely have seen a bigger interest in the culture of aperitifs, aromatised wines and bitters. And not only used in the most classic of the cocktails, but perhaps in new ways, with modern technologies around them. The low-abv wave has surely helped the category to grow, people are looking much more into the actual quality and history behind a brand.
What are some of your favourite places to visit in Italy and why?
I am in love with my region, Basilicata. The whole culture and traditions are so important for us, that you’ll find yourself living a sort of “parallel” life while you’re there. The food is exceptional, the flavors and landscapes are breathtaking. I surely love cities as Matera, an Unesco world heritage since 1993. If we have to go up north, Piedmont is an outstanding region too, think about Nizza Monferrato, Langhe and Barbaresco.