Aperitif Cocktails For Spring

Over the past decade, aperitif wines have waged a quiet comeback in American bars, and in the May/June 2016 issue, executive editor Paul Clarke explores the the resurgence. Read the story here, and get to know the category a little better with one these aperitif cocktails.

Adonis Cocktail
Sweet vermouth meets sherry in this classic that dates back to the mid-1880s.

A Field Near Arles
At Americano in Portland, Oregon, bar manager Kate Bolton matches botanically rich aperitif wines with fresh fruits, herbs and other ingredients in press-pot punches meant for sharing.

Americano Cocktail
Beautifully bright and refreshing, the Americano is a quintessential low-ABV drink. It’s said to have been named after the flurry of American expats who adopted the drink as their favorite during Prohibition.

Bellissimo Aperitivo
Created for the Expo in Milan—a food and beverage–oriented world’s fair—this cocktail balances the rich notes of sweet vermouth with dry fino sherry and the ornate bitterness of Fernet-Branca.

Lavender Blanc
Clean, crisp vermouth and bubbly tonic water drive the flavors of this sparkler. Lavender bitters add a soft floral note, making it a perfectly refreshing low-alcohol cocktail.

Negroni Sbagliato
Sbagliato means “messed up” or “mistaken” in Italian, and while the Negroni Sbagliato is said to be the result of a busy bartender mistakenly using sparkling wine instead of gin in a Negroni, we think it turned out to be a pretty happy accident.

Suspender
Love a good low-ABV drink? Try this cocktail from Ice Plant Bar manager Zach Lynch.

Vermouth Cobbler
Simple drinks like this cobbler from Bellocq in New Orleans perfectly spotlight the complex flavor of vermouth.