Cocchi Americano Apertivo Bianco

Alcohol: 16.5%

Grape(s): For this classic Italian aperitif, white wine is aromatized with a secret blend of herbs and spices, including gentian, cinchona and bitter orange peels, and then steeped over a period of time.

Localization: Italy

Tasting Notes: The nose of this Italian aperitif has notes of orange zest, orange flower and elderflower, before more mature aromas of baked apple and pear drops emerge. The palate balances the bitter and sweet, with bitter notes mingling with honey and citrus flavors like orange and lemon zest. Wine-like characteristics become apparent on the long, vibrant finish.

Notes: The name “Americano” is both due to the alcohol made bitter (“amaricato”) by the addition of herbs and spices and to the American habit of drinking vermouth with ice and soda.

Food pairing: Serve it chilled over ice with a splash of soda and a twist of orange peel.

The Domain: Cocchi Americano is produced at Giulio Cocchi Spumanti, a winery founded in Italy’s Asti region in 1891. The company was founded by Giulio Cocchi, a pastry chef originally from Tuscany who moved his business to the north-western Italian town of Asti in the late 19th century. The founder was interested in the pairing of food and wines he found in Asti, the capital of Moscato wines, and began producing aromatic-infused wines and sparkling wines. By the turn of the century, his Barolo Chinato and Aperitivo Americano had become commercially successful in Piedmont, London, New York, Africa and South America.