Antonio Benedetto Carpano, (1764 Turin -1815 Turin)Italian inventor, famous for having invented the Vermouth and consequently the aperitif. In 1786, Antonio Benedetto Carpano invented Vermouth in Turin, made from white wine added to an infusion of herbs and spices, in more than 30 varieties. Since then this distinctive drink has been exported throughout Europe and the world and is now produced by the Cinzano and Gancia company., sweetened with spirit, which he believed would be a more suitable beverage for ladies than the local red wines. Carpano was by all accounts a cultured man with a passion for the poetry of Goethe and reputedly named his new drink after the German word for absinthe, "Wermut". It proved so popular that soon his shop was open 24 hours a day. Ninety years later, a customer from the nearby Borsa came up with the drink for which Carpano is now best known when he marched in and, in the argot of the stock market demanded a "Punt e Mes", a mix of one-and-a-half "points" of dark bitters to the usual bianco vermouth. Location within Italy Region Piedmont Province Turin Area   – Total   – Water 130 km² (50 mi²) ##.# km² (#.# mi²) #.##% Population   – Total (2002)   – Density 857,433 6,596/km² Time zone CET: UTC+1 Latitude Longitude   45°04′ N 7°40′ E1. ... Vermouth is a fortified wine flavored with aromatic herbs and spices (aromatized in the trade) in recipes that are closely-guarded trade secrets. ... Alternate meaning: Aperitif (record label) An ap ritif is an alcoholic drink usually enjoyed as an appetiser before a large meal. ... Cinzano Rosso is one of two brands of sweet vermouth, the other being bianco, meaning white. ...