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- What to Buy
These award-winning aperitivos prove that NA spritzes can still be sophisticated.
By
Dylan Ettinger
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Dylan Ettinger
Dylan Ettinger is a Los Angeles-based writer specializing in spirits, co*cktails, and coffee with hands-on experience visiting distilleries and bars across the US, Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Published on January 3, 2024
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2023 certainly felt like the year of the spritz. So far, 2024 is shaping up to be the year of the nonalcoholic spritz. Along with NA spritzes, nonalcoholic spirits alternatives have also been gaining momentum and rising in popularity. With almost perfect timing, Martini & Rossi recently released two nonalcoholic aperitivo alternatives at the front end of both of these drink trends: the bright-red Vibrante and the award-winning Floreale.
I was first introduced to Vibrante and Floreale while visiting Milan last summer. I was immediately surprised at how rich, flavorful, and fragrant each of these zero-proof liqueurs was. After returning to the States, both of Martini & Rossi’s NA aperitivos have been a staple on my home bar cart. They’re perfect for mixing up a quick, refreshing booze-free drink on a summer evening or for serving a light yet flavorful mocktail with brunch.
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In many ways, aperitivo liqueurs are ideal for crafting an alcohol-free alternative. In Italy, aperitivo drinks are traditionally consumed before a meal and with small bites in a social setting. The commonly low-ABV liqueurs used in these drinks are infused with a mixture of botanicals that give the drinks a strong bitter flavor and then sweetened. The most popular aperitivo liqueurs, Campari, Select Aperitivo, and Aperol, all have a different bespoke blend of botanicals, but they all have a bitter component.
To make both of these NA liqueurs, Martini & Rossi infuse their normal base wine with a proprietary blend of botanicals. The alcohol present in the wine is then removed while leaving all of the flavors and aromas from the infused botanicals. This leaves Martini & Rossi’s Floreale and Vibrante packed with flavor while still being sophisticated enough to stand next to any alcohol-based aperitivo — and all without artificial flavors or coloring.
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The bright red Martini & Rossi Vibrante should be familiar to anyone who has ever ordered an Aperol Spritz or an Americano co*cktail. Vibrante is packed with bittersweet citrus flavors and aromas — think orange peel, bergamot, and grapefruit. Some herbal notes and a twinge of wormwood-induced bitterness add complexity to the fruit-forward and sweet liqueur.
Martini & Rossi Floreale is a bit more unique. This bright yellow liqueur earned the Spirited Award for “Best New Spirit or co*cktail Ingredient” at last year’s Tales of the co*cktail, and for good reason. Floreale is drier, slightly more tart, and more bitter than the Vibrante, but it is still packed with fresh botanical flavors. Lemon peel and honey fill the nose, while flavors of chamomile, rosemary, and white grape round it all out.
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Both the Vibrante and Floreale are surprisingly versatile ingredients. Of course, both can be used as a replacement for any other aperitivo liqueur in a co*cktail. Replacing the Aperol in a spritz or the Campari in an Americano makes these already low-ABV co*cktails even lighter. Try replacing St. Germain with the Floreale to create an even more fragrant riff on a Hugo Spritz. And of course, if you wanted to go completely zero-proof, you could easily replace prosecco with a nonalcoholic sparkling wine.
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Martini & Rossi’s NA aperitivos shine brightest when they take center stage in a drink. The Vibrante is robust enough to be enjoyed by itself in a rocks glass with an orange wedge or with a splash of sparkling water. Both liqueurs pair beautifully with tonic water and served with ice, but the chamomile notes in the Floreale pair especially well with tonic.
However you choose to use them, Martini & Rossi’s Floreale and Vibrante are sophisticated enough to convince even the most skeptical drinkers that nonalcoholic drinks can be just as good as their boozy counterparts.
To buy: Martini & Rossi Vibrante, $20 at ReserveBar; Martini & Rossi Floreale, $20 at ReserveBar
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