If you really want to make Vermouth, just start by using good quality ingredients," says Mariki Sayles, partner and mixologist of Mumbai's newest Asian destination, Goyaa. New Yorker Sayles, who has worked with legends like chef Eric Riper at Le Bernardin, has created the bar menu, and is an ace at making infusions, tinctures, syrups, emulsions, extracts, and playing with all forms of mixology.

To make Vermouth, which is an aromatised, fortified wine, which Sayles says is very easy to make at home, one must start with choosing the wine. "If you want a sweet, fruity vermouth, then choose a chenin blanc, or if you prefer a dry taste, then go for a pinot grigio," she says. The next step is to gather up other ingredients like the herb, worm wood, which may be difficult to come by. But Sayles says ordering online is the way to go. One can also go to Ayurveda stores, and buy an equivalent of the same, like asfantin. "After that buy a bittering agent like Gentian, and any kinds of herbs you want to add to the drink. It could be sage, rosemary, rose petals — anything you want to aromatise it with. Basically, if it tastes good in your tea, it will taste better with wine."