8 Of The Best Apéritifs To Drink Before Dinner

Nothing beats a pre-dinner drink to whet the appetite. The apéritif was once the domain of the 1980s dinner party, but it has stormed back into popularity. Designed to stimulate the appetite, these drinks are dry and crisp, refreshingly bitter and often herbal. Here are eight great examples to get your taste buds going.

Americano

This lighter version of the Negroni offers a refreshing, lower-alcohol alternative to its traditional sibling. A marriage of equal parts Campari and sweet red vermouth, it is topped up with soda or sparkling water. In a Negroni, gin is used instead of water, so with an Americano you still get that warming, bitter flavour profile, just without the boozy punch.

The Americano predates the Negroni by some 60 years. This classic Italian apéritif was created at Gaspare Campari’s bar in Milan and named the Milano-Torino. Locals later renamed it when the drink became popular with American tourists visiting during the Prohibition era in the 1920s.

This decade also saw the birth of the Negroni, when Count Camillo Negroni ordered an Americano with gin replacing soda in a Florence bar. The rest is history.

Campari Spritz

The Spritz is having its moment, and has been for several summers. Virtually everything now has a spritz version: Aperol, limoncello, elderflower liqueur and so on. But the father of all spritzes is arguably the Campari Spritz. It has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years and is incredibly simple to make. Just remember the 3-2-1 method and you cannot go far wrong.

That means three parts Prosecco, two parts Campari and one part sparkling or soda water. Fill a wine glass with ice and pour in the Prosecco, followed by the Campari. Top up with soda water, stir once to mix, and no more, or you will knock out the bubbles. Garnish with a slice of orange and enjoy.

The origins of the spritz date back to the early 1800s, when Austrian soldiers occupying Italy’s northern Veneto region diluted red wine with water. Gaspare Campari, who you may remember from the Americano, did not create his red bitter liqueur until 1860.

French 75

This classic cocktail conjures images of Art Deco chic and the Parisian elite, but its origins come from a much darker place: the trenches of World War I. First mentioned by American war correspondent E. Alexander Powell in 1915, the drink was a concoction of gin, grenadine, applejack brandy and lemon juice. It took its name from the French 75mm light field gun, as drinkers likened the cocktail’s potent kick to being hit by one of its shells.

The modern French 75 recipe evolved from the trenches to Paris high society in the 1920s. To make one yourself, first put a Champagne flute in the freezer. Add gin, fresh lemon juice and sugar syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice, then shake until chilled. Strain into the flute and top with Champagne. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel.

Sherry & Tonic

A lovely, simple and thirst-quenching highball-style drink, sherry and tonic is enjoying its day in the sun in pubs and bars across Europe. Dry, crisp styles of sherry such as Fino or Manzanilla work best if you want the most refreshing results.

Simply pour a generous measure of sherry into a tall highball glass over ice and top up with tonic water. Garnish with a slice of lemon. For deeper notes, use Amontillado. For something fruitier and nuttier, try Oloroso.

Tinto de Verano

This popular Spanish drink, which translates as “red wine of summer”, is refreshing, delicious and easy to make. It is often served in a beer or wine glass and is a 50:50 mix of red table wine (Spanish, if possible) and lemon soda or sparkling water. Add ice cubes and a slice or two of orange, and you are done. Sit back, sip and relax.

The origins date back to the 1920s and the Andalusian city of Córdoba. Bartender Federico Vargas diluted red wine with carbonated water to quench his patrons’ thirst during a heatwave. The drink was known locally as Vargas and spread across southern Spain. By the 1950s, the Vargas name had been replaced by the modern Tinto de Verano.

If you like the sound of this, try kalimotxo too, another Spanish classic that mixes red wine and cola.

Vermouth

Vermouth is an incredibly versatile fortified wine flavoured with herbs and other botanicals. It must contain a member of the wormwood family of plants, Artemisia in Latin, and has deep traditions in France, Italy and Spain. The wormwood gives vermouth its signature bitter, aromatic profile, which makes it a perfect ingredient in cocktails such as the Martini or Negroni.

However, it also makes a great apéritif when sipped neat. Vermouth, whether white or red, is best served from the fridge. Simply pour some over ice in a tumbler and garnish with a slice of orange, a green olive, or both. For a lighter drink, add a dash of soda or sparkling water and enjoy the refreshing bitter bite.

White Port & Lemonade

An elegant and uplifting drink that makes the perfect pre-dinner apéritif, especially on a warm day. White Port has become increasingly popular as more people discover it, and this is one of the easiest ways to enjoy its crisp, refreshing character. It is also a million miles away from the heavier flavours of traditional Ruby or Tawny Port.

Add ice to a highball glass, pour in a good measure of White Port, then top up with lemonade. A twist of lemon peel or a sprig of mint makes an excellent garnish. Delightful.

Whisky Highball

The highball is a great way to enjoy whisky in warmer months or climates. It works particularly well with Irish, Japanese or Scotch whiskies.

The first references to such a drink date to the late Victorian era, when English aristocrats are said to have begun mixing Scotch blends with carbonated soda water. The highball then gained huge popularity in pre-Prohibition America in the early 20th century, before finding another devoted audience in post-World War II Japan during the 1950s and 60s.

A modern renaissance has taken place over the last decade, with many whisky brands using the highball as a signature serve. Simply fill a tall highball glass with ice, pour over your whisky of choice and top up with sparkling water. Alternatively, you can use soda, tonic or lemonade. A twist of lemon zest or a slice of fresh ginger both work well as a garnish.

Fancy a mizuwari? Use Japanese whisky and still water. Delicious.