Of the many things we feel they just do better in Italy, aperitivo would be high on the list. The Italian equivalent of happy hour, aperitvo is a place where some of the most classic drinks in the Italian cocktail canon are put in the spotlight and served with small but delicious bites ranging from potato chips to focaccia.
When it comes to aperitvo drinks, we're partial to the classic Italian cocktails, a lot of the classic cocktails revolve around the sweet-bitter liquor that is Campari. And while the most popular Campari cocktail around -- the classic Negroni Cocktail -- hails from Florence, the spirit itself was created by Davide Campari in Novara, Italy (near Turin).
And, fittingly, the whole concept of aperitivo is said to come from the same corner of the country, which is probably why, of all the activities on our group trips to Italy, we are partial to the cocktail crawl we do in Milan. And, of all the drinks that come from Milan, our favorite is the Negroni Sbagliato.
Cocktail folklore has it that this drink, the Negroni Sbagliato, is a mistake or messed up (aka sbagliato) take on the classic cocktail the Negroni.
Whereas the Negroni is a mix of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari cocktail, it's said that the owner and head bartender at Milan's Bar Basso created the Negroni Sbagliato when he used brut sparkling wine instead of gin.
The result is a cocktail that's sort of a mash up of the Classic Spritz and a Negroni Cocktail and, to us, it's like the goldilocks of cocktails -- not too sweet, not too strong, and just right!
for garnish
Place ice in a rocks glass then add the vermouth and Campari and stir to combine. Top with sparkling wine, add an orange twist, and serve.
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