The Negroni Sbagliato was allegedly invented by mistake. Fast forward 50 years and this mistaken ‘Negroni with Prosecco’ has become a worldwide sensation. Join the hype and craft one at home.
The Negroni Sbagliato with Prosecco has been on our radar for a while. We’re big fans of the classic Negroni and even bigger fans of the Boulevardier. It only made sense that we’d want to try the bubbly variation of the Campari classic.
However, once the Negroni Sbagliato became an internet sensation, our enthusiasm went down a notch. It seemed like the whole world jumped on the Italian cocktail’s bandwagon after House of the Dragon‘s Emma D’Arcy expressed her love for ‘Negronis made with Prosecco’ on TikTok. Suddenly, Sbagliatos appeared on just about every sidewalk in Europe from the Duomo in Milan to the docks of Hamburg.
Dare we say that the Negroni Sbagliato has begun to approach the lord of all aperitivos, the Aperol Spritz, in popularity? We do and it did.
Discover more of our favorite Italian cocktails.
Ok. Enough about our apprehensions. We’re glad we made this crimson drink which, to our mild surprise, grew on us with every sip.
We were fans by the time we finished our first broken Negroni. But we wondered how this Negroni with Prosecco become ‘broken’ in the first place.
History of the Negroni Sbagliato
Although the Negroni Sbagliato gained international fame in 2022, its history started a half-century earlier at Bar Basso in Milan. However, its history is dubious at best.
Legend has it that barman Mirko Stocchetti created the original Negroni Sbagliato by mistake when he accidentally poured sparkling wine into a Negroni instead of pouring gin. However, we’ve read conflicting reports as to whether Stocchetti’s cocktail was a happy accident or an intentional switcheroo.
Either way, both the Negroni Sbagliato’s story and name have withstood the test of time. In fact, the bubbly beverage is more popular today than ever.
What Is a Negroni Sbagliato?
The Negroni Sbagliato is a variation of the classic Negroni crafted with sparkling wine, i.e. Prosecco, instead of gin. The drink’s two other liquid ingredients are sweet vermouth and Campari. A simple orange twist provides the finishing touch.
Since the three liquids are added in a 1:1:1 ratio, it’s hard to mess up the Negroni Sbagliato recipe. This is ironic since the name Negroni Sbagliato literally translates to Mistaken Negroni.
What’s not ironic is how the Negroni Sbagliato tastes. This is a sophisticated sipper that gets bitterness from Campari and sweetness from vermouth. As for the Prosecco, it adds a bubbly element that tickles the tongue.
Sure. You could call this a Negroni Spritz or even a Sbagliata Spritz but that’s not what Mirko Stocchetti called it and he’s the one that broke the drink in the first place.
Negroni Sbagliato Ingredients
Make no mistake – the Negroni Sbagliato’s ingredient list is short and sweet with just the following five items:
Although the Negroni Sbagliato sips like a dream, its ingredient list includes no fewer than three Italian liquors – Campari, sweet vermouth and Prosecco.
Campari
Campari is a complex liqueur that derives its herbaceous tones from 50+ secret ingredients that include bitter herbs, aromatic plants and fruit. Not only is it a key ingredient in Italian cocktails like this one, but it’s also great for making simple summer spritzes.
Discover our favorite Campari cocktails.
Sweet Vermouth
While you probably have Campari in your home bar, you’re even more likely to have a bottle of sweet red vermouth. Similar to Campari, this Italian liquor has a secret recipe and is highly versatile. We use it to craft a myriad of cocktails.
Discover our favorite sweet vermouth cocktails.
Prosecco
While any sparkling wine would technically work in the Negroni Sbaliato recipe, we like to use a good quality Italian Prosecco when we craft this Italian cocktail at home. Not only does this splurge result in better cocktails, but it also makes it more fun to drink the leftover bubbles.
How to Craft a Negroni Sbagliato
The Negroni Sbagliato recipe is super easy and doesn’t require any special equipment. We use the following bar tools when we craft Negroni Sbagliato cocktails at home:
Both of these tools are recommended but not required. You can use an angled measuring cup if you don’t have a jigger. Similarly, you can use a spoon or straw if you don’t have a bar spoon.
Discover 10 essential bar tools for home mixologists.
The first step is to measure the Campari and sweet vermouth and pour them directly into a lowball glass. We like to use a Japanese Jigger for these measurements to avoid spillage and ensure accurate measurements.
Buy a Japanese jigger if you don’t have one or if you want to make an inexpensive jigger upgrade.
Gently stir the two liquors and place a large ice cube into the glass. We use a jumbo ice cube since it melts slowly and looks really cool.
Buy a jumbo ice cube tray from Amazon if you don’t already have one.
The next step is to top off the drink with Prosecco. You can either measure the Prosecco or simply pour it directly into the glass.
Finally, add an orange twist and start sipping.
Negroni Sbagliato Alternatives
They say ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ but we disagree. Feel free to experiment with the Negroni Sbagliato recipe starting with the following possible variations:
Negroni Sbagliato FAQs
The classic Negroni is crafted with Campari, gin and sweet vermouth while a Negroni Sbagliato is crafted with Campari, Prosecco and sweet vermouth.
The Negroni Sbagliato was invented at Bar Basso in Milan, Italy.
Campari, Prosecco, Sweet Vermouth, a Large Ice Cube and an Orange Twist (garnish)
The Negroni Sbagliato is stirred, not shaken.
It’s always a good time to drink a Negroni Sbagliato.
We like to serve this cocktail on the rocks in a lowball glass but you could serve a shaken version in a flute instead.
Yes. Use one bottle each of Campari, sweet vermouth and Prosecco. Garnish with long orange peel slices.
Negroni Sbagliato Recipe
Negroni Sbagliato
More than just a Negroni with Prosecco, the Negroni Sbagliato is a sophisticated sipper that's super easy to craft at home.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces Campari
- 1 1/2 ounces sweet red vermouth
- 1 1/2 ounces Prosecco
- 1 large ice cube
- 1 orange twist
Instructions
- Pour Campari and sweet red vermouth into a lowball glass.
- Stir gently.
- Add large ice cube.
- Top with Prosecco.
- Garnish with an orange twist.
Notes
- Use a 1:1:1 ratio if you choose to modify the serving size.
- You can shake this cocktail with ice and strain it into a flute.
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About the Authors
Daryl & Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website and YouTube. The married Food and Travel content creators live in Lisbon, Portugal.
Original Publication Date: November 3, 2022