The Art of the Aperitivo
The Italian ritual of the aperitivo has officially arrived on the American scene. While the Spritz reached its "moment" of mass embrace this summer (becoming the unofficial drink of happy hour, patios, and pool decks across the US), in reality, for Italians the Spritz is just one delicious part of a much deeper cultural tradition.
A true Italian style “Aperitivo” is not merely a drink and a snack; it's an exercise in mindful, balanced living, a deliberate pause to shift gears, choose conviviality over constant motion, and ease into the evening. It’s an embrace of la dolce vita.
Here at Vero, we believe in bringing authentic food and wine traditions from around the world to you. With the Italian cuisine just winning UNESCO status, and what better experience than integrating Italian food with Italian drinks and start your own Italian tradition of the aperitivo?
The Historical Roots of the Aperitivo
The word aperitivo itself derives from the Latin aperitivus (meaning "to open"), referring to its original purpose: to open the appetite. This concept has ancient roots, with mentions even dating back to ancient times when doctors would prescribe an aromatized wine to stimulate the appetite.
The modern Aperitivo ritual is rooted in Northern Italy, in the 18th and 19th centuries, where the Italians on created beverages that "opened" the palate and stomach through bitter, herbal characteristics.
The Original Bitter Aperitif
In cities like Turin and Milan, the tradition of aperitivo began with vino aromatizzato (aromatized wine), or a wine blended with herbs to create the first vermouths, or potent amari (bitter liquers) made from infusing dozens of roots and herbs. This historical focus on the wine-based bitter aperitif, often lower in alcohol, is the core root of the modern ritual, intended to gently prepare the body for the evening meal. As well, often small snacks or bites to eat were served to help “whet the appetite” for the coming dinner meal, but also more practically to help counterbalance the alcoholic drinks.
Traditional Aperol spritzes, ready for a quick and light aperitivo.
The Bubbly Evolution: The Birth of the Spritz
While Turin championed the historical bitter wine, the modern era's most iconic Aperitivo drink is the Spritz which has its roots in the Veneto region, particularly around Venice. Its name, derived from the German word spritzen (to splash), is a nod to the Austrian Hapsburg troops once stationed in the area, who would ask to have local wines "spritzed" with water. This simple custom evolved over time, eventually blending local Prosecco, a bitter liqueur, and a splash of sparkling water to create the bright, bubbly, and lower-alcohol cocktail we know today.
The Modern Interpretation: More Than Happy Hour
The Spritz, while born in Venice, is said have been perfected in Milan. It was the metropolitan Milan that again brought the spritz to international fame, thanks to young crowds going out after work and ordering the Aperol Spritz . The Aperol Spritz is the classic orange "spritz", made up of Prosecco, bitter Aperol and a splash of sparkling water - get the Spritz recipe here.
This drink is the modern face of the aperitivo, but the ritual is, and always has been, so much more than a cocktail. While the American "Happy Hour" focuses on discounts and getting drinks, the Italian Aperitivo is a holistic experience blending three essential parts: a drink, food, and friends. It is an embrace of the dolce vita, it is a commitment to a balanced lifestyle that prioritizes community, good wine, and good food.
The Deliberate Pause and Mindfulness
The most important element of the Aperitivo is the deliberate pause. It occurs around the time of our happy hour, in early evening, but its roots are tied into slowing down. It's a moment to shifts gears, choosing conviviality over constant motion, and giving yourself permission to decompress. It is time to practice some mindfulness, reflect upon the day, and truly connect with friends and loved ones in person, sharing a delicious moment of relax together. This sense of la dolce vita and the "novelty" of slowing down is what makes the Aperitivo so appealing to Americans today. The traditional Italian aperitivo involves lower alcohol wines and wines that pair with small bites that lend themselves to tasting and savoring every sip and bite.
The Food: From Cicchetti to Apericena
The food, or stuzzichini (savory small bites), is what elevates the occasion from a simple glass of wine to a true Aperitivo.
A charcuterie spread with Dolcetto wines, a great aperitivo wine.
Small Bites: This tradition is perfectly captured in Venice's Bacaro culture, where locals hop between small bars for a glass and cicchetti (savory snacks). This isn't about getting full; it's about fueling conversation and enjoying light flavors and easy to enjoy foods, kind of like a Spanish Tapas concept. Classics include charcuterie and cheese, but also local favorites like Baccalà Mantecato (whipped salt cod spread).
The Feast (Apericena / Merenda Senoira): The custom has evolved into the generous apericena, where the aperitivo and cena, aka dinner in Italian, are blended into one evening meal, like a reverse brunch. Here, the food spread is more lavish and the gathering lasts so long that it essentially becomes dinner itself. We see a similar, historical parallel in Piedmont with the Merenda Senoira, a substantial late-afternoon meal that stared as a post-work reward for farmers, but now has morphed into a genuine meal style. In an apericena, spreads include the usual charcuterie and cheese of a typical aperitivo, maybe some foccaccia or pizza slices added in, but here we enrich our meal with more substantial savory bites like mini meatballs, various spreads and dips, nuts like peanuts or hazelnuts, and, of course, the finest regional olive oils (EVOOs) for dipping and garnishing things like pinzimonio.
Build Your Own Authentic Aperitivo
The essence of the Aperitivo is simple: coming together and giving yourself a break to enjoy a sip of wine and savory bites of food. Ready to host your own slice of la dolce vita and slow down to enjoy this ritual with friends? Vero is your great source for planning your Aperitivo from start to finish. We search for and discover small-production, hard-to-find products to bring you the best of Italy.
The Drink: Bitter, Bubbly, or Both
Remember, the drink is key. Whether you lean into the historical bitter root or the modern bubbly standard, we have you covered:
Austin based artist, Shaun Avants, proudly holding a bottle of Pellagroso’s Amal Enolito spiced apertif wine, which we just imported to the USA, first time ever.
The Nouveau Aperitif WineBitter Classic (Aromatized Wine): Launch your Aperitivo with an alternative to a classic bitter, or amaro, with Pellagroso’s Amal Enolito. Served chilled over ice, this exceptional, aromatized wine connects you directly to the 18th-century tradition of vino aromatizzato. An exceptional, super-natural, aromatized natural red wine, Pellagroso’s Amal Enolito is steeped with aromatic herbs and spices, like a natural version of the classic Barolo Chinato. The producer started with a base of Merlot wine, which was farmed and made with no additives. Then it was aromatized with spices and herbs like rhubarb, cloves, gentian, and cichona (or quinine).
It hits those less-sweet, beautiful bitter and spiced notes you love in a high-quality amaro, but in the form of a low alcohol natural wine. Imagine plums layered with dark chocolate and a hint of rhubarb. Served chilled over ice, it is the definitive, botanical-forward way to launch an authentic Aperitivo custom in your own home, reconnecting the ritual to its 18th-century roots.
It also works well as a spiced mulled wine, warmed up to enjoy as a winter time aperitivo.
The Bubbly Base: For a classic Spritz or just to enjoy on its own, explore the world of Proseccos, including the crisp Valdobbiadene Prosecco, both in Brut and Extra Dry, and the intriguing, naturally cloudy Pet Nat version, Codolà. Their light, refreshing bubbles are essential for easing into the evening.
The Sweet & Aromatic: For a lower-alcohol red option, try our gently sweet Brachetto d’Acqui. Like Moscato’s red cousin, it is gently fizzy (not quite sparkling, but not still either), super aromatic (roses and strawberries anyone?), and a dazzling ruby red in your glass. Beautiful, delicious, and unique, it's perfect on its own, or as the base for a delightful, sweet and fruity Brachetto Spritz.
Host Your Own Aperitivo
The aperitivo is a timeless cultural touchstone, proving that the most memorable moments in life are often the simplest ones: the meeting of friends, the slowing of pace, and the enjoyment of authentic food and wine. It’s an easy-to-adopt ritual that brings the true spirit of la dolce vita to your home. Vero is dedicated to being your great source for planning the entire experience, from the historical spiced wine to the vibrant Proseccos, the finest olive oils, hazelnuts and the authentic recipes that make your aperitivo memorable. Or, get our Aperitivo Gift Set, with three amazing aperitivo wines and some hazelnuts to munch on!
Of course, we sell our curated small production, farm to glass wines and specialty foods to both businesses and consumers across the US:
If you are a distributor reach out to us introduce our highly curated portfolio of one of a kind small production wines to your state.
We sell to wine stores and restaurants in certain states - contact us to learn more.
If our farm crafted natural wines and olive oils are not in your local shop or restaurant, buy wine online here, and we’ll ship it to you, including wine gifts.
We also have an award winning wine club for true wine explorers that are seeking to continually discover unique, sustainable and authentic small production wines they never had. These are wines selected by our sommeliers and curated for each box.
We do corporate gifts and sommelier guided wine tastings. Email us and we’ll tailor unique and sustainable corporate gift ideas.
