What does a Negroni Sbagliato taste like?
A Negroni Sbagliato tastes like a fizzy, lighter Negroni: Campari and sweet vermouth topped with prosecco instead of gin, so it is bittersweet, bubbly and easy.
Negroni Sbagliato
bittersweet and bubbly
Sbagliato means 'mistaken' in Italian, and the story goes that a bartender at Bar Basso in Milan grabbed prosecco instead of gin. The result is Campari, sweet vermouth and prosecco over ice. It tastes like a Negroni with the edges softened: still bitter orange and herbs up front, but the prosecco makes it lighter, fruitier and full of bubbles. Without the gin's pine and punch, the vermouth's raisiny sweetness shows more. It's somewhere between an Aperol spritz and a Negroni in both strength and bitterness.
Where you’ll see it
On Italian and aperitivo menus and most cocktail bars, in a rocks glass or wine glass with an orange slice. It got a big wave of fame online in 2022.
Order it if a Negroni feels too strong but an Aperol spritz feels too sweet.
Quick questions
- Is a Negroni Sbagliato strong?
- Less than a Negroni. Prosecco replaces the gin, so it has much less alcohol, about like a strong spritz.
- Is a Sbagliato more bitter than an Aperol spritz?
- Yes. Campari is more bitter than Aperol, and there is less soda to soften it.