Aperol Aperitivo 70cl, 11% ABV - Italian Spritz

Product Information

Loris Contro, Italian Brands Ambassador for Campari UK says the liqueur ‘is best enjoyed during aperitivo hour, when celebrating the end of the workday with friends, along with delicious Italian ‘cicchetti’ (which are small plates, similar to tapas). Silvio Barbieri named Aperol after the French word for apéritif, 'Apéro', which he had learned on a recent trip to France and seemed appropriate for their new bitter-sweet liqueur.

Because Contratto also claims a vineyard and winery, travelers have the opportunity to try the brand at the source by booking a day tour. But for those looking to find Contratto Bitter in the wild, the Atrium Bar at Four Seasons Florence, one of the “meccas for the Italian aperitivo,” according to The Champagne Bar's Longo, is one destination to put on your list. Another is Caffe Mulassano in Turin where The Connaught’s Bargiani claims the modern Italian aperitivo was born. “It truly is a precious location,” says Bargiani, as it's also "where they invented the tramezzino [sandwich] to serve with their homemade vermouth liqueur.” Aperol spritz is a prosecco based drink and owns its color and taste to the addition of Aperol, a traditional Italian bitter. And to celebrate its 100th birthday four years ago, Aperol officially made it into the Oxford English Dictionary, Aperol is defined as: "A proprietary name for: an orange-coloured Italian aperitif flavoured with gentian, rhubarb, and a variety of herbs and roots."Here in Italy we not only enjoy our pre-dinner drinks, but there’s an extra special place in our hearts for after-dinner drinks too. That’s where the digestivo comes in. After all, it’s only natural to want to ‘digest’ that wonderful dinner you’ve eaten. The digestive is usually a herb-based liqueur (although it might also be a more international whisky or brandy). Homebrewing is a widespread hobby and artform and every Italian family worth its salt will have a family member who’s an expert at producing some kind of plant-based digestivo. This deserves a whole article on its own, so we’ll save it for another day, but I’ll just mention in passing that some of the most popular Italian after-dinner drinks are amari (literally ‘bitters’) like Amaro Del Capo, Montenegro, and Braulio (a herbal liqueur from the Valtellina region in Italy). It’s just a splash, but don’t be tempted to skimp on the soda in your Aperol Spritz as it works wonders for the finished drink.“By adding soda water, we replace the carbonation that gets lost whilst pouring Prosecco and stirring the drink. Cinchona may be an unfamiliar to you, but the flavor is more recognizable than you’d think. This tree is native to South America near the Andes mountains, and its bark is a natural source of quinine. It’s been used to make tonic water for centuries and gives the popular mixer its signature bitterness.

The most popular aperitivo italiano is undoubtedly Aperol Spritz. Ever been to Italy and seen those ubiquitous orange drinks on tables in Italian squares? Yes, that’s Aperol Spritz. Aperol is an Italian bitter with a secret recipe that includes gentian (a bright blue flower widespread in the Italian Alps), rhubarb, and cinchona. It’s the ideal blend of bitter-sweet flavors. This spirit-based aperitivo's unique flavour and orange colour derives from a secret infusion of 16 ingredients, including bitter orange essence, gentian, cinchona bark (quinine), Chinese rhubarb. The majority of herbs and roots used come from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy and the recipe remains unchanged since it was first created in 1919. Aperol does not undergo any aging process and is ready to be bottled immediately after blending. You may be wondering if you need to leave the kids at home for aperitivo. The answer is – no, you can bring them ( babies, toddlers, kids, and teens)! Cappelletti, referred to by locals as “Il Specialino,'' is made by Antica Erboristeria Cappelletti, a producer established in 1909 from Aldeno in Northern Italy. Unlike any of the other aperitivo bitters on this list, Cappelletti is made from a wine base (Pinot Bianco, Garganega, and Trebbiano grapes), making it drier than most aperitivi. And since it’s made with wine, it’s also the only aperitivo bitter listed that requires refrigeration after opening (similar to a vermouth, or other aromatized and fortified wines).The main ingredients are an infusion of herbs and roots with two of its most distinctive flavours being oranges and rhubarb. The root of the word is the Latin aperire (to open) and the modern Italian is aprire…you’re literally ‘opening your stomach’ for all the delights to come! The city is the home of the spritz though perhaps (let’s whisper it) it’s not even really Italian in origin. The Veneto region of Italy was under the domination of the Austrian Empire in the early 19 th century and Hapsburg soldiers used to love local wine with a little sparkling water, giving rise to the ‘spritz’ tradition.