Bicicletta

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Cocktail History

The Bicicletta is a refreshing wine cocktail that is said to have been invented in Italy and was named for the elderly men who would swerve all over the road on their bicycles after too many afternoon drinks at the cafe. It’s traditionally made with just two Italian ingredients—dry white wine and Campari—and soda water for some added sparkle.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Dry White Wine: This is the base spirit. The recipe specifically calls for a dry Italian white wine, but we went with one of our favorite local dry whites from Villa Bellezza Winery.

Campari: This is an Italian liqueur. It adds its distinct bitter yet savory flavor to the drink.

Soda Water: This is water that has been infused with carbon dioxide gas under pressure. It stretches the drink and adds some fizz. We used Topo Chico because it’s light, essentially flavorless, and refreshing.

Lemon Wheel: This is the garnish. It’s dropped into the drink at the end to add a hint of fresh lemon aroma and flavor.

Tasting Notes

The Bicicletta leads with a slight citrus aroma, has an initially dry taste of white wine cut with a bit of Campari bitter-sweetness, and ends with a lingering bitterness in the throat that will leave you craving another sip.

Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: If you’re like Kendall and don’t love Campari, you may not enjoy this cocktail as much since there isn’t a lot of sweetness to counter its telltale taste. But if you do enjoy sipping a dry, palate-tingling drink like Alex does, you’ll be pleasantly surprised what its simplicity has to offer.

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: The Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.

Tools & Glassware We Recommend

More Campari Cocktails

If you like this Campari cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:

• Garibaldi: A Campari cocktail made with orange juice and an orange slice

• Rhubarb & Gingerbread Negroni: A gin cocktail made with Campari, sweet vermouth, gingerbread syrup, and an orange peel

• Jungle Bird: A rum cocktail made with Campari, lime juice, simple syrup, pineapple juice, and a lime wheel

• Old Pal: A whiskey cocktail made with dry vermouth, Campari, and an orange twist