The prosecco negroni - Sbagliato negroni

There are times in life where you just need a bit of sparkle. And with New Year just around the corner, you need something special in your hand to cheers, slàinte, saluti, Prost, or whatever your toast of choice. That is where the sbagliato negroni comes in, or as I prefer to call it, the prosecco negroni.

A negroni is one of my favourite cocktails, and whilst I appreciate the original isn’t to everyone’s taste, I would strongly recommend giving this one a go before instantly saying you won’t like it. Sure it’s got some similar characteristics to the cocktail, but it’s also a different drink altogether.

It has a fantastic smell, the flavour is deep and delicious - not nearly so harsh, thanks to the prosecco - and it’s got that je ne sais quoi that all good drinks have.

How did it come about? Well, legend goes that the sbagliato (which translates as ‘mistaken’) was the result of a happy accident in the Basso bar in Milan when the barman poured sparkling wine into a negroni instead of the gin. However improbable that mistake is, it certainly makes for a romantic story and I think we should just go with it.

This particular version has seen a rise in popularity lately, and it’s often down to the fact that you can make a single glass or a jugful with almost the same amount of ease. It’s brilliant whether you are making two or them or getting the party going.

‘Aren’t they just a little bit dangerous?’ I hear you ask. Well, in a word, yes. They do require a little bit of restraint as they are quite easy to drink, but I would say that you’re probably not going to drink them all night long, so don’t worry overly and just enjoy yourself. Responsibly, of course.

More reasons to love a prosecco negroni:

It’s much easier to pronounce than the Italian name after you’ve drunk it
The flavour is sublime, perfect for the start of the night
You can be mistaken yourself and forget to omit the gin (2 measures of gin should do it in the instructions below)

However you are celebrating the new year, here’s to you and your prosecco negroni!