Dry Vermouth. Dry vermouth, or French vermouth as it is referred to, is a fortified wine used in dry cocktails and served as an aperitif. It has much less sugar content than sweet vermouth. It is light in color and, therefore, preferred in cocktails that are similarly shaded. French (Dry) Vermouth vs Italian (Sweet) Vermouth. • Actually, dry and sweet vermouths are styles of the same aromatized white wine with differences pertaining to the herbs and spices being blended with the white wine. • Dry vermouth is associated with Italy while sweet vermouth is associated with France.