Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Bicicletta Cocktail
A dry, refreshing, and slightly bitter aperitivo. Combining Campari with crisp dry white wine and sparkling water, it is lighter than a Negroni and drier than a Spritz.
- Prep
- 3 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 3 min
- Servings
- 1
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 1 serving
- Campari
- dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
- soda water
- ice cubes
- lemon wheel
Equipment
- Large wine glass
- Bar spoon
Instructions
- 1
Select Glass
Use a large, stemmed wine glass.
- 2
Fill with Ice
Fill the glass to the top with fresh, solid ice cubes.
- 3
Measure Campari
Pour 2 oz (60ml) of Campari over the ice.
- 4
Add White Wine
Pour 2 oz (60ml) of a crisp, unoaked dry white wine.
- 5
Add Soda
Top with 1-2 oz of sparkling soda water to lengthen the drink.
- 6
Stir
Gently stir the drink from the bottom up to integrate the Campari and the wine.
- 7
Cut Garnish
Slice a fresh wheel of lemon.
- 8
Express Oils
Gently squeeze the lemon wheel over the drink to express some of the citrus oils.
- 9
Place Garnish
Drop the lemon wheel into the glass.
- 10
Serve
Serve immediately as a pre-dinner drink.
Cooking Tips
- Do not use sweet wine or heavily oaked Chardonnay, as it will clash terribly with the Campari.
- The ratio is essentially equal parts Campari and Wine, lengthened with soda, making it very easy to scale for a pitcher.
Variations
- Aperol Bicicletta: Use Aperol instead of Campari for a sweeter, friendlier version.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The name 'Bicicletta' (bicycle) allegedly comes from old men swerving their bicycles on their way home after drinking a few too many of these at the local bar.
Nutrition Estimate
140 calories · 0g protein · 8g carbs · 0g fat · 0g fiber per serving
