It was a breakout year for Italian spirits with bartenders and drinkers across the U.S. embracing the wide range of flavors and options coming out of regions from north to south. Whether an amaro featuring ingredients foraged from the forests of Friuli-Venezia or a lemony clear spritz evocative of the Amalfi Coast, there’s something for everyone who wants a sip of something Italian.
Which is why I’ve compiled a list of my favorite Italian drinks I’ve had the pleasure of tasting this year, including wine and beer. These are personal recommendations that I’m sharing as inspiration for those in search of new adventures. In many of these examples, I also celebrate the Italian commitment to making superior drinks, just as Appetito regularly showcases chefs and products whose devotion to seasonality and traditions helps make Italian cuisine special.
I won’t declare myself an expert, but after several years as an editor and writer at La Cucina Italiana and now nearly two years at Appetito, I have tasted more Italian spirits, wine, and beer than most, and I’ve made it a point to experiment at home. I’ve tried bitter Campari alternatives; stirred and poured dozens of Negroni and spritz variations; and sipped Italian wines from the classic regions, such as Piedmont and Tuscany, to outliers like Abruzzo and Puglia. As part of my research for my Preserved series of books—which I co-author with Darra Goldstein and Cortney Burns—I even made an amaro (here’s the recipe) and a grapefruit version of limoncello at home, which greatly increased my appreciation for the craftsmanship behind Italian spirits. I’ve even included a few examples of American-made but Italian-inspired drinks—a growing category to be sure.
Before I name my recommendations, a few notes:
- This list doesn’t include non-alcoholic options, which I covered last year in this now-updated story, “Non-Alcoholic, Italian-Style Drinking is Having a Moment” (though it’s been quite longer than a moment, I should note). For those going no or low-ABV, we also have quite a few Italian-inspired NA drink recipes.
- As a disclosure, some of these bottles and cans were sent to me as samples; others I purchased and/or came across in my travels. In either case, I have only included personal favorites based solely on taste—and in some cases, the storytelling behind the beverage.
- Again, this is a personal list, and I have not jumped on the espresso martini bandwagon, so you won’t find any coffee liqueurs here, though several producers featured here make them.
- Prices subject to change. When you click on links, Appetito may earn affiliate revenue from purchases.
- Please drink responsibly.
The Main Attractions
Originals & Co. Bergamot Orange and Lime Spritzer — Italian engineer-turned-entrepreneur Alessandro Ercolano oversees an ambitious portfolio of imported Italian spirits and now crafts ready-to-drink cocktails that I am sure you’ll be hearing more about. The Sorrento-born Ercolano works with small family-owned producers from Italy to source Originals & Co. offerings, which include gin, bitters, amaro, grappa, and more. Here, I’m highlighting his canned Bergamot and Lime Spritzer, a refreshing, delicious 10% ABV drink that is perfect on its own or great for mixing into a cocktail with gin, tequila, vodka, or mezcal.
4-pack of 350ml cans, $19.99 at Originals & Co.
Fred Jerbis Amaro 16—Federico “Fred” Cremasco is a bartender and herbalist from the town of Polcenigo in Friuli who coaxes incredibly complex flavors and aromas from locally grown and foraged herbs, roots, and barks, and distilled spirits. I’d recommend any bottle with his pharmaceutical-looking branding, including vermouth, bitter, gin, and Fernet. It’s his amaro that has been his breakout hit thus far in the States, and this 16-botanical bottle is the perfect place to start getting familiar with his scientific approach. The Amaro 16 is earthy, almost moody, and yet surprisingly light on the palate, ideal for sipping neat or over a rock or two.
750ml bottle, $48.99 on Wine.com
Baldoria Dry Umami Vermouth—One of the game-changing moments of my Italian drinking experience was receiving samples from the new U.S. distributor The Italian Spirits Company, founded by spirits and wine industry veterans Ken Fredrickson and David Lynch. We will have much more to say about the exquisitely curated portfolio of Italian craft spirits soon, but for now I’ll recommend one of their wilder vermouths from Baldoria. The Piedmont-based producer’s team, including master distiller Piero Nuvolini, and Baldoria co-founders Daniel Schmidt and Dolan Shalev, produce the classic expressions (dry, rosso, blanco), but also push the envelope on what vermouth can be. Their Baldoria Dry Umami Vermouth combines Chardonnay wine with macerated porcini mushrooms and kombu seaweed for an earthy, bewitching flavor. It’s delicious on its own, over ice, or in experimental cocktails.
750 ml bottle, $47.99 from Curiada
Tenuta San Leonardo “Terre di San Leonardo”—This full-bodied yet mild-tannin Bordeaux blend from Gambero Rosso’s 2024 Winery of the Year has been one of my favorite affordable reds for years. The family-owned winery in Trentino-Alto Adige celebrated its 300th anniversary this year.
750 ml bottle, $23.99 from Wine.com
My Other Recommendations
Berlucchi Franciacorta ‘61 Extra Brut—Crisp and clean with citrus notes, this sparkler, made using the methode champenoise, is an elegant yet affordable alternative to Champagne and a step up from most Prosecco.
750 ml bottle, $31.99 from Wine.com
Don Ciccio & Figli Ambrosia Aperitivo—I’m always on the hunt for a red bitter aperitivo liqueur for spritzes and Negronis. This slightly floral version from Washington D.C. distiller Francesco Amodeo, who makes spirits drawing from a family lineage from his native Amalfi Coast, became one of my favorites after I picked up a bottle while visiting D.C. this year.
750 ml bottle, $42 at donciccioefigli.com
Faccia Brutto Amaro Gorini—I had to include an amaro from my home borough, and this was one of the more mysterious sips I had this year. The Brooklyn brand, which purposely misspells its name—the correct Italian construction would be Faccia Brutta—makes a seemingly ever-growing range of spirits but specializes in amaro. For this one, founder and chef-turned-distiller Patrick Miller makes a Southern Italian-inspired amaro in honor of his grandmother, with a blend of 13 botanicals, including distinctive sweet and bitter orange. It’s a caramel-colored amaro made for adding depth to cocktails.
750 ml bottle, $53.99 at Wine.com
Birrificio Italiano Tipopils—I’m more obsessed with Italian beer than most people, which helps me understand why Italian beers—Peroni and Moretti being the exceptions—are so hard to find here. This is the Italian pilsner you need to seek out and try for a stellar example of the light, crisp style. I interviewed founder Agostino Arioli when he brought his Pils & Love Festival to Brooklyn earlier this year. If you care about beer, it's worth reading what he has to say about creating Tipopils back in 1996.
4-pack, $20.99 at Cellar.com
