What is an Aperitif and When is it Served?

May 24, 2022 by

By definition, an aperitif is an alcoholic drink that is served before a meal to stimulate your appetite. But, throughout Italy, the real aperitif meaning is so much more significant than that. Coined as the “aperitivo moment” and often accompanied by a golden glowy sunset, this pre-dinner drink ritual has captured the hearts and minds (and Instagram feeds!) of foodies and cocktail enthusiasts alike. All over the world, it’s universally agreed that an aperitif is the best way to kick off your night in style.

What’s an aperitif?

Before dinner drinks is a nod to an 18th-century European tradition started in northwest Italy by King Vittorio Emanuele II, when he made vermouth his preferred pre-dinner drink. It was later carried on by Count Camillo Negroni, who invented the famous Negroni cocktail by blending sweet vermouth, gin and bitters. So, now you know this tradition was coined by Kings and Counts even before the 19th century, read on to find out how you can introduce this royally approved ritual into your next dinner party.

There are many types of aperitifs, but they all share some common characteristics:

They’re dry rather than sweet and tend to be more herbal and bitter.
The alcoholic content of a drink affects the appetite, so aperitifs tend to be low alcohol compared to the drinks’ volume. Some liqueurs, like Campari, need to be diluted with other drinks to lower their alcoholic power.
Aperitifs include fortified wines, like Madeira or dry vermouth, and botanical or bitter spirits that are served with soda.

Read next: What is Gin Made From: The Ori(gin) Story & More

Aperitif and digestif

If an aperitif is meant to open up the palate and usher in the dinner ceremony, the digestif is its closing counterpart. Digestif – referred to as amaro in Italian – are alcoholic beverages that are meant to aid digestion after a large meal. Popular digestifs include fortified wines, like port and sherry, herbal liqueurs, like aquavit, and aged liqueurs, like brandy and grappa.

While there’s a variety of after dinner drinks that fall into this category, a digestif is not to be confused with a dessert drink, which is typically sweeter and features decadent ingredients like chocolate and cream.

When is an aperitif served

According to tradition, aperitif is served at sunset. At a typical Italian aperitif hour, you will see bars starting to serve cicchetti (appetizers like cheese, cured meats and olives) to accompany your drink of choice. You can easily replicate this idea at home, offering your guests tasty bites as you’re waiting to move to the dinner table.

The golden rule is to serve an aperitif between 30 to 60 minutes before dinner, in order to allow drinks served before a meal to stimulate the appetite and the conversation. After all, aperitif is a state of mind.

Typical aperitif drinks

While we can’t promise that serving an aperitif will make your cooking taste better, we can guarantee that it’ll definitely get your guests talking. If you’re looking for inspiration for your next pre-dinner cocktails and drinks, here are some of the classic aperitifs you can make easily at home:

Lillet

Lillet is a French aromatized aperitif wine. It consists of wine fortified with citrus liqueurs, and there are many varieties to choose from, including Lillet Blanc, Rosé and Rouge, depending on the base grapes. Lillet has more alcohol than a glass of apeiritif wine and the French usually enjoy it chilled neat or on the rocks. It also stars in many cocktails like Vesper Martini.

Vermouth

Another great aperitif wine is vermouth, which owes its name to its fundamental ingredient, wormwood plant. Vermouth can be broken down into Italian sweet/red and French dry/white. The spices you can taste in this wine include chamomile, cinnamon, juniper and coriander. Vermouth is also a key ingredient in many aperitif cocktails like Negroni and classic Martini.

Learn more: Everything You Need to Know About Vermouth

Anis

If you love licorice, anis aperitifs will fast become your favourite. Characterized by a strong licorice and herbal flavor, Anise is widely used across the Mediterranean in many liqueurs, like the Greek Ouzo and the French Pastis. They both make for great aperitif drinks if diluted with water and served over ice.

Learn more: Everything You Need to Know About Vermouth

Aperol

This bright orange classic aperitif is a bitter made of gentian, rhubarb and cinchona, among other ingredients. Aperol is light, refreshing and citrusy and it’s great to be drunk on its own or in cocktails, such as the popular aperitif Aperol Spritz.

Cynar

Made of 13 herbs, the predominant ingredient of this amaro is artichoke, which give it its name (artichoke is Cynar in Latin). Low sugar, low alcohol and a bitter taste make Cynar the perfect aperitif drink. Its flavour is earthy, herbaceous, yet sweet and it’s also regarded as a digestif.

Campari

Distinctively ruby red and bitter, Campari is at the core of Italian aperitif culture. It’s an alcoholic spirit obtained by mixing bitter herbs and spices, aromatic plants and fruits in alcohol and water. You can enjoy it on its own or with a dash of soda. Campari is the frontman in many Italian cocktails, including Negroni and Boulevardier.

White wine

Cocktails aren’t your thing? At aperitivo hour, enjoy a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. Bubbles are also a winner option, whether it’s Italian Prosecco, French Champagne or Spanish Cava – make sure they’re brut or extra-dry.

Red wine

If red is your go-to, Lambrusco can be a bold and attractive alternative. Other alcoholic fruity red wines like Sangiovese and Montepulciano can make the perfect aperitif.

Are you hosting a house party or a garden get-together? Surprise your guests with incredible drinks that are also easy to prepare and to tweak according to the occasion. Discover the best aperitif recipes for any season and start embracing this royal tradition that’ll definitely get the party started.

How to drink an aperitif

Aperitifs should be served between 30 and 60 minutes before dinner, to allow the appetite to get started. Most aperitif drinks have a wine base, that’s why they should be served refrigerated. Also, they can be served over ice if the recipe involves it.

According to tradition, aperitif should be served with savoury nibbles like cheese boards, cured meats, olives and crackers. Since aperitif is designed to stimulate the appetite before dinner, foods should be consumed in moderation. However, the concept of Apéro Dinatoire (aperitif dinner) has become more and more popular, combining aperitif with dinner in a unique social meal.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

This citrusy Italian liqueur can be enjoyed both as an aperitif and a digestif, according to taste. It must be served chilled or at room temperature to enhance its flavor. It can also become a long drink if served with tonic water.

Aperitifs and cocktails can easily be confused. Aperitif is generally low-alcohol and serves to stimulate the appetite before a meal. A cocktail, on the other hand, has a higher alcohol volume and tends to be a blend of many ingredients to create a mixed drink.

Aperitif has to be dry and low in alcohol volume, so great aperitifs options are dry vermouth, pastis, sherry, amaro and even Champagne. If you prefer cocktails, Aperol spritz, martinis and gimlets are perfect pre-dinner sippers.

Many liqueurs that star in aperitif cocktails can be enjoyed as aperitifs themselves! Campari, Aperol, Cynar and Pastis are some examples of dry liqueurs that make for herbal, flavorful aperitifs.

Prosecco is often served as an aperitif, which is a drink served before a meal to stimulate the appetite. Prosecco is a sparkling wine that originates from the Veneto region of Italy and is typically light and refreshing, making it an ideal choice to enjoy before a meal. It is often paired with light appetizers such as cheese, nuts, or cured meats, which complement its delicate flavor profile. However, Prosecco can also be enjoyed on its own or paired with a wide range of foods, depending on personal preference.