Giostra d’Alcol
A BevX Cocktail Recipe
Leave it to the Futurists to turn an aperitivo into performance art. The Giostra d’Alcol — literally the ‘carousel of alcohol’ — was created in Turin during the 1930s by painter and sculptor Enrico Prampolini, a leading figure in the Italian Futurist movement that treated speed, spectacle, and reinvention as a way of life. In Futurist Mixology, Fulvio Piccinino describes it as a playful shuffling of the spritz formula: Campari, Barbera d’Asti wine, and cedrata, a citron-flavored sparkling soda most Americans have never tasted and absolutely should.
True to its theatrical roots, the original presentation arrived with two skewers — one spearing a cube of semi-hard cheese, the other a piece of bitter chocolate — because why serve a garnish when you can serve a snack? For my taste, that’s the detail worth reviving; most modern versions swap in an orange slice and call it a day, which is safer and considerably less fun. Pour this one for guests who like their aperitivo with a side of art history.
Ingredients
1 oz. Campari
2 oz. Barbera d'Asti (or any medium-bodied red wine)
1 oz. Cedrata (citron-infused sparkling soda)
1/4 oz Honey syrup (optional modern touch to balance the bitterness)
Garnish: Traditionally served with small skewers of hard cheese and bitter chocolate, though modern versions often swap this for a simple orange slice.
Occasion
The Giostra d’Alcol isn’t a first-round drink — it’s the one you pour when the table already has some laughs going and the conversation could use a little theater. Save it for guests who’ll appreciate a garnish that doubles as a snack.
Method
Combine the Campari, red wine, and honey syrup (if using) in an old-fashioned glass with ice and stir to combine. Top with cedrata or a citrus-forward sparkling soda. Garnish with skewers of semi-hard cheese and bitter chocolate for the full Futurist effect, or a simple orange slice for a tamer presentation.
Variations
The original 1930s formula lets Campari and red wine slug it out unsweetened. Naren Young’s modern take at Dante in New York smooths the edges with a quarter ounce of honey syrup — a welcome adjustment if straight Campari-and-red-wine bitterness is more than your table bargained for, and the version I’d point most first-timers toward. Swap the cedrata for any citrus-forward sparkling soda if you can’t track down the real thing, and don’t be shy about the cheese-and-chocolate garnish; it’s the detail that makes the drink worth ordering twice.
Source: Classic