Pirlo: Italian Spritz with a Twist
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Although the Pirlo isn’t particularly sweet, this effervescent spritz may hit your cocktail sweet spot. Follow our easy Pirlo recipe and make one at home.
You’ve heard of the Negroni and the Aperol Spritz, but have you met the Pirlo? This sparkling Italian cocktail from Brescia is crafted with just three ingredients: Campari, white wine, and sparkling water. Not too sweet, totally effervescent, and absolutely worth sipping at home. #Pirlo #ItalianCocktail #CampariSpritz #AperitivoHour #ItalianDrinks
While you’ve surely heard of Italy’s Negroni and Aperol Spritz, you’re probably not familiar with the Pirlo. That is, unless you’ve traveled to Brescia, the medium-sized city about an hour east of Milan. We say this because that’s how we discovered the Pirlo ourselves. Once we made that fortuitous discovery, it was only a matter of time before we were sipping the sparkling Italian cocktail at home.
What Is the Pirlo?
The Pirlo is an Italian cocktail that’s crafted with three ingredients: Campari, white wine and sparkling water. While it exists under the radar in much of the world, the Pirlo is the cocktail to drink in Brescia. In fact, sipping a different cocktail during a Brescia aperitivo session would be a violation of the local culture.
Discover more Italian cocktails.
History of the Pirlo
While we don’t know who invented the Pirlo or even the century when it first debuted, we do know that the sparkling cocktail’s roots are in Brescia. Considering Brescia’s Lombardy location, this origin makes perfect sense for a few reasons, namely the Pirlo’s three ingredients (Campari, white wine and sparkling water).
Invented by Gaspare Campari in Novara, just 150 kilometers (approximately 93 miles) from Brescia, Campari is super popular in Northern Italy. The same goes for the great Italian white wines produced in and around the area. Plus, the neighboring Bergamo province is the home of San Pellegrino Terme, where San Pellegrino was first bottled.
Combining these three liquid Italian staples may have been creative back in the day. Today, doing so is a no-brainer.
Fun Fact
Andrea Pirlo also has roots in Brescia. The Italian football player was born in the Brescia province in 1979.
Ingredients
You only need the following ingredients to craft a sparkling Pirlo cocktail at home:
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
While using Italy’s Campari is a must in this Pirlo recipe, we recommend staying on theme by using white wine and sparkling water that are also produced in Italy. However, your crafted cocktail will still taste great if you use your favorite local wine and/or sparkling water brand instead.
How to Craft a Pirlo
Once you assemble the necessary ingredients plus a couple of basic bar tools and a wine glass, you’re ready to craft a Pirlo.
The first step is to add ice cubes to the wine glass.
Measure the Campari and white wine with a jigger. We use a Japanese jigger to avoid spillage and ensure accurate measurements.
Buy a Japanese jigger from Amazon if you need a jigger or want an inexpensive upgrade.
Immediately pour the Campari and white wine into the ice-filled wine glass.
Gently stir.
Top off the glass with sparkling water.
Garnish with an orange wedge or wheel.
You’re now ready to sip and savor your Pirlo spritz. We recommend pairing the sparkling cocktail with aperitivo favorites like cheese, olives and salumi.
Variations
Since the Pirlo isn’t a classic cocktail, you can modify it to suit your personal taste. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Discover 10 essential bar tools for the home mixologist.
Pirlo Spritz Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Campari
- 4 ounces white wine
- 1 ounce sparkling water
- 1 wedge orange (garnish)
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Fill a wine glass with ice cubes.
- Add Campari and white wine. Gently stir.
- Top off with sparkling water.
- Garnish with an orange wedge or wheel.
Nutrition
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
The Pirlo is an Italian spritz that’s crafted with Campari, white wine and sparkling water.
The Pirlo was invented in Brescia, a city located in Italy’s Lombardy region.
Campari, White Wine, Sparkling Water, Orange Wedge (garnish) and Ice Cubes
The Pirlo is stirred, not shaken.
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