As the popularity of Italian-style cocktails and amari continues to grow, now comes word that Sting—the superstar musician behind the Police as well as a legendary solo artist—and his wife Trudie Styler are among the backers of the new Amante 1530, launching today.
The couple, along with CEO Ana Rosenstein, Richard Kirshenbaum, and Barry Rosenstein, conceived the aperitivo brand at Il Palagio, the Tuscan estate long owned by the power couple, which dates back to 1530. The team enlisted an expanded group of founders, and brought on oenologist Riccardo Cotarella, who oversees Il Palagio's estate wines—including Message in a Bottle, for all you Police fans out there—to develop the recipe for Amante 1530. The result, according to a press release, is an amaro that "is light upon entry, but immediately unfolds across the palate with medium-bodied weigh and presence." It lists the aroma profiles as "candied orange, oolong tea, ginger, honeysuckle, and baked apples."
The amaro is being produced in Rome, Italy, and is now available at select retailers, bars, and restaurants in NYC, with California and Florida coming soon. It's listed at 15% ABV, crafted for sipping or mixing in a cocktail, and will retail for $34.99
Today's announcement has already generated buzz in the media for Amante 1530's connection to Sting and Trudie Styler, although a spokesperson notes that while they are invested in the brand, though it is not solely theirs.
A mention in the popular newsletter Snaxshot by Andrea Hernández says that “Sting’s alcohol brand debuts this week,” and notes, “Aperitivos are celebrities new ‘tequila’ everyone wants to launch one.” [sic]
Sting is a founding member of the new amaro brand Amante 1530, along with his wife Trudie Styler and a group of partners. Photo: Eric Ryan Anderson
Typically, A-list celebrities have gravitated towards tequila and pre-mixed tequila cocktails, with George Clooney (Casamigos), Kendall Jenner (818 Tequila), and Blake Lively (Betty Buzz Sparkling Tequila) among those with well-known bottles. Vodka (Channing Tatum’s Born and Bred), whiskey (Drake’s Virginia Black), and gin (Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation) are also celeb-attracting spirits.
But amaro?
There isn’t much evidence to suggest that celebrities are about to flood the amaro market, although Jennifer Lopez recently launched Delola, a line of bottled cocktails “inspired by the Italian coast,” according to Food & Wine.
This tagliarini alla vongole recipe comes from the book Pasta Masterclass, by London-based chef Mateo Zielonka. Here, he uses the ribbon-shaped tagliarini pasta to pair with flavorful clams and herbs, a delicious take on the classic linguine alla vongole.
Pici pasta with potatoes and beans is a recipe from the new cookbook Pasta et Al. The dish calls for a fresh, thick-rolled pasta in a Tuscan preparation.