Your Guide to the Perfect Italian Aperitivo
Image: Cavinona Team Enjoying an After Work Aperitivo
Italian aperitivo isn’t quite dinner, and it’s not just a drink, it’s a social ritual designed to open the palate. Whether it’s a late-morning spritz on a sunny weekend or a relaxed wind-down with friends after work, aperitivo is about pausing, sipping, and savouring the moment with conversation. Lots of conversation.
With Cavinona’s exceptional selection of Italian amari, vermouths, spirits, and sparkling wines, you can bring that tradition home. Whether you’re new to mixing or an aperitivo expert, here’s how to elevate your evenings with cocktails that celebrate Italian flavour and flair.
Doladira Spritz, the Alpine Spritz Star
Image: Doladira Spritz
Tasting notes: Rhubarb, alpine herbs, elderflower
Ingredients
- 3 oz Doladira
- 2 oz Le Monde Prosecco
- 1 oz of Soda
- Garnish with a grapefruit slice or rosemary sprig
Refreshing, slightly bitter, and floral. A refined alternative to Aperol, made with all-natural alpine ingredients and a mountain soul. Another beautiful option is The Dolomite Spritz, made with 2 oz Doladira and 2 oz grapefruit soda of your choice.
Bordiga Aperitivo, the Elegant Red Spritz
Image: Bordiga Spritz
Tasting notes: Bitter orange, gentian root, warm spices
Ingredients
- 2 oz Bordiga Aperitivo
- 3 oz Alta Langa or Prosecco
- Splash of soda
- Garnish with an orange slice
An artisanal take on the classic Spritz with Aperol. Vibrant in colour, complex in flavour, with less sugar and more nuance.
A Rosé Take on the Classic Spritz
Try Rosé Spritz
- 2 oz Istine Vermouth Rosé
- 3 oz Le Monde Prosecco
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1 oz soda water
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Serve over ice in a large wine glass and stir gently
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Garnish with an orange slice
Perfect under the sun. Bright and full of flavour thanks to the elegant rosato base and the botanicals of Istine Vermouth.
Negroni, the Aperitivo Icon
Image: Bordiga Products for Negroni
Try Classic Negroni
- 1 oz Bordiga Gin
- 1 oz Bordiga Vermouth Rosso
- 1 oz Bordiga Aperitivo (or Doladira for an unconventional version)
- Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice
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Garnish with an orange peel
Want something darker?
Swap Aperitivo with Amaro Chiot, made from wild mountain herbs in Cuneo. Earthy, smoky, and deeply complex ideal if you like your Negroni bold.
Want something unexpected? Try the Negroni Sbagliato
- 1 oz Bordiga Vermouth
- 1 oz Bordiga Aperitivo
- 2 oz Prosecco
- Serve in a wine glass with ice
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Garnish with blood orange or red berries
A lighter version of the classic Negroni, perfect for summer.
Martini, A Timeless Classic
Ideal for vodka lovers
- Bordiga Vodka distilled with Alpine spring water
- Konik’s Tail Vodka ultra-smooth, triple grain blend
Try Martini Bianco
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2 oz vodka
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⅓ oz dry vermouth
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Garnish with a lemon twist or olive
A clean, precise martini, timeless and refined.
Amaro After Dinner, A Digestivo for Every Palate
Image: Amaro Centum Herbis and tonic
Cavinona offers a rare and refined selection of Italian amari, bittersweet herbal liqueurs traditionally sipped as a digestivo to close a meal and aid digestion. Here’s how to enjoy them:
- Aged in oak barrels
- Sweet and bitter notes with hints of spice, herbs, and wood
- Serve neat or over a large ice cube after dinner
- Crafted with 100 alpine herbs
- Light, green, and herbal
- Serve chilled, or mix with tonic and lemon for a refreshing daytime twist
- Best serving temperature: 6 ° - 10 °
- Wild mountain herbs with smoky bitterness
- Serve neat, or use in a Black Manhattan or as a bold Negroni base
- Best serving temperature: 6 ° - 10 °
- Bright, piney, and resinous
- Serve neat, or over a large ice cube after dinner or mix it with soda
- Best serving temperature: 6 ° - 10 °
Sparkling Wines Beyond the Spritz
Image: Metodo Classico & Italian Dolomites
Let’s not forget the bubbles. These Italian sparkling wines go beyond mixers. They elevate every aperitivo.
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Le Monde Prosecco Crisp, floral, and dry
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Alta Langa Metodo-Classico sparkling from Piemonte
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Franciacorta One of Italy’s answers to Champagne
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Ca’ de Medici Lambrusco Fizzy, dry red bubbles from Emilia-Romagna
Time to Mix, Sip, Repeat
With Cavinona’s beautifully crafted Italian spirits and wines, the options are endless. Whether you're stirring a classic or shaking up something new, each glass is a celebration of Italian quality, tradition, and conviviality.
Image: Italian Aperitivo Plate
Bring the ritual home and start your Italian aperitivo journey today. Don’t forget to pair your drinks with some delicious food, just like a true Italian would.
