Aperitivo Cocchi Americano Rosso

750ml bottle

16.5% abv

• Makes perhaps the most famous of rose-colored spritzes!
• Brachetto d’Acqui wine base; notes of white rose and berry
• Americano: gentian balanced with quinine and bright citrus
• Mix with club soda or sparkling wine; slice of lemon or grapefruit
• Adds depth to stirred whiskey cocktails, shines in sour cocktails
• Great with salty snacks and cheeses, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano

Throughout its history, Giulio Cocchi has used the aperitif wine Americano profile to highlight the fine aromatic grapes of Piemonte. In Cocchi Americano Rosa, the Brachetto d’Acqui wine base provides the white rose and rich berry notes typical of the famous sparkling wine of the same variety, while the addition of rose and ginger to the traditional bitter base provides a rounder profile.

The simplest Cocchi Rosa cocktails are often the best—just add club soda or sparkling wine. A slice of lemon or grapefruit lifts everything up and stimulates the nose and brain. These drinks are all-purpose aperitifs—great with salty snacks (particularly Parmigiano-Reggiano), perfect before a meal at home or in a restaurant, where the longer shelf-life and lower pour-cost give great value to bars and customers alike. The ginger note in Cocchi Rosa also adds depth to stirred whiskey cocktails, particularly with younger ryes and lighter Scotch and Irish whiskeys. Cocchi Rosa shines in sour drinks; add a splash to a Paloma, or shake in a gin or tequila sour for a floral edge and bright pink color.

Cocchi has produced wine-based aperitifs and traditional Piemontese sparkling wines since 1891. Since 1978, the company has been owned and operated by the Bava Family, themselves renowned producers of sparkling wine in Monferrato and Langhe. Giulio Cocchi was a young and creative pastry chef from Florence, where he worked in a popular bar located in Piazza del Duomo. In the late nineteenth century he moved to Asti, a small but lively town in northwest Italy, not far from Torino, and established himself as a distiller and winemaker. His Barolo Chinato, Aperitivo Americano and vermouths became well known during the Belle Epoque and the Italian Futurist period. By 1913 there were twelve Cocchi tasting Bars in Piemonte. Today the winery maintains its artisan character and follows Giulio’s original recipes to craft the distinctive wines that have made Cocchi a cult name worldwide. In the last 30 years, Cocchi has revived the forgotten wine categories Barolo Chinato and Vermouth di Torino. It was also a leader in establishing the appellation Alta Langa DOCG for traditional Piemontese spumante.

Americano is the name of a category of aperitif wines, enshrined in Italian and EU law, which derive flavor first from gentian and may also be colored red or yellow. That the word ‘Americano’ is also used in reference to a mixed drink and a coffee drink is no mistake—the term originates from the Italian word ‘amaricante’, meaning bittered. Gentian is the most bitter of the bitters, so fruit notes and sweetness are often more intense in Americano-style wines; thus, they are classically drunk with soda.