Cappelletti Aperitivo Americano Rosso

Appearance: Vibrant ruby red. Aroma: Aromas of bittersweet herbs reminiscent of an alpine amaro, featuring gentian, aged red wine, mountain botanicals, and deep citrus zest. Complex and intriguing. Flavor and Texture: Sweet yet full-bodied with a balancing herbal bitterness. Very subtle citrus notes. Mouth-watering and earthy, with sage and gentian in the aftertaste. Thanks to a friend for recommending this a couple of months ago. I purchased a bottle that day but had many other open bottles that needed finishing, so I'm just now getting to taste it. A superb aperitivo, it's a new favorite and a definite improvement over most. Its profile is somewhat between Aperol, Select, and Campari, but more engaging than the first two and less bitter than the last. Cappelletti makes an excellent alpine amaro called Pasubio, based on aged red wine – I could easily believe this is derived from that or shares similar ingredients or production methods. It's enjoyable neat and is enhanced with a few ice cubes. It's versatile and pairs well with everything from soda water to dry sparkling wine to lemonade. Even tonic water works well. The complex bitter herbal character is the key, as it complements the wine component particularly well. Delicious and more interesting than most aperitivi. Compared to this, an Aperol spritz tastes like orange soda. “Excellent”: 88/100 (4.5 stars)

A light Italian aperitivo with prominent orange peel and floral notes, only slightly sweet. It also possesses some Alpine herbal scents. It makes a pleasant dry Spritz, which pairs well with crisp, light sparkling wine. It's somewhat like a less intense version of Campari.

Very citrus-forward, like a bitter orange or pink grapefruit. Quite similar to Aperol, and it's my top choice for a variation on the junglebird.

Smooth and well-balanced. I particularly enjoy it in a Jungle Bird or Negroni.

A sweet wine base with a pleasant bitterness.