You don’t need to have been to Italy to know about the fame of Italian gastronomy. Wines and drinks also play a crucial role in this success! After all, there’s no better way to accompany the delicious dishes and snacks served during the ‘aperitivo,’ which is the Italian happy hour. Here are 5 drinks I chose, but the list is obviously extensive. The idea is just to give a taste! There are 3 cocktails (with very different tastes from each other) and 2 types of wine, one well-known in Brazil and the other not so much.
Out of these 5, which one is your favorite?
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*****Read also: 5 drinks to try in London*****
Aperol Spritz
Aperol Spritz tastes like a summer vacation to me (I had Aperol Spritz every day during my two weeks in Sicily, for example)! I know it originated in northern Italy, but there’s no city I visited that didn’t serve it. And, I may not be an expert in drinks, but in Italy, I never had a poorly made Aperol Spritz. Despite the ‘Aperol’ in the name, the main ingredient is Prosecco. In other countries (like Spain, for example), if you ask for an Aperol, you might just get a glass of pure Aperol with ice. So make sure the place serves Aperol Spritz, the cocktail!
Use a large glass, add ice, and then mix the ingredients: 3 parts Prosecco (75ml), 2 parts Aperol (50ml), and 1 part sparkling water (25ml). And it’s even better with a slice of orange!
Negroni
I read on several sites that the Negroni was invented in Florence, in 1919 (but none of them confirm, everyone says ‘they say’…). It’s not a refreshing drink (served with ice, but I mean refreshing in the sense of having it while sunbathing by the pool, you know?), I see it more as a ‘serious’ drink, to be enjoyed in a bar or restaurant.
Like the Aperol Spritz, the Negroni has 3 main ingredients: gin, Campari, and Vermouth – all in equal parts – and an orange peel to complement! For those who want it less bitter, just add a little more gin. And of course, the taste can vary according to the gin you prefer, as there are many variations.
Prosecco
I asked Isa, from the blog Italia Per Amore, to talk a little about Prosecco. She lives in the region where this famous sparkling wine is produced, often visits the wineries, and understands Prosecco like no one else!
“Until a few years ago, Prosecco was just a sparkling white wine without all the status it has today. It was in the 90s that producers discovered its potential and the international market realized that the light and fruity wine was versatile and had very competitive prices. In Italy, you will find Prosecco everywhere you go, but nothing beats savoring the drink exactly where it is produced, in the province of Treviso. Prosecco is a wine of controlled and guaranteed origin, which means that to be effectively Prosecco, it must meet a series of requirements that aim to control its quality. The first of these is that it is produced in a limited area that includes some provinces of the Veneto region (specifically Treviso) and a small area of the Friuli region. Prosecco can be consumed as an aperitif, before meals, with fish dishes, fresh cheeses, or delicate-flavored dishes. And if you are also a fan of Aperol Spritz, know that the predominant ingredient in the drink is Prosecco.”
Franciacorta
I chose to include Franciacorta here because I know it is much less known than Prosecco. I asked Magê, from the blog Milão nas Mãos (she also does guided tours of the Franciacorta wineries), to talk a little about it.
“Franciacorta is a D.O.C.G wine (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin) and is produced with the so-called classic method, which involves two fermentations: the second is done in bottles that ‘sleep’ in the wineries for a minimum of 18 months, but this time can extend to 5 or 7 years. Produced with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc grapes, the contact with natural yeast in the second fermentation gives Franciacorta a complexity and structure that makes it a perfect match not only for appetizers but also for fish and meat dishes. This slower production process results in Franciacorta having a higher price than other Italian sparkling wines. A bottle (in Italy) ranges from 12 euros (for the base 18-month ones) to 80/90 euros (for the 5-7 year reserves). But as Franciacorta also means the territory, I’ll tell you that the more than 100 wineries are set in one of the most beautiful landscapes in the region, framed by hills and bathed by the graceful Lake d’Iseo.”
Bellini
Another delicious drink made with Prosecco! It’s so light and sweet that you can even have it before lunch! The Bellini was created at the famous Harry’s Bar in Venice, and many people make a point of visiting this bar just because of that. In addition to Prosecco, Bellini is made with peaches! Or rather, pureed peaches (some use peach syrup as well).
It’s 2 parts Prosecco to 1 part pureed peach, and it’s best served in a pre-chilled glass (you can cool it at the moment by filling it with ice and stirring a bit until the glass ‘sweats’). And that’s it!
Cheers!
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