Ingredients
- 1Lemon WheelCut thin and dropped into the glassSubstitute: Orange half-wheel also traditional
- 3 ozDry White WineCrisp and unoaked, very coldSubstitute: Pinot Grigio, Soave, or Gavi; a cold lager makes the Northern Italian beer variant
- 1 ozSoda WaterA short splash to lift the carbonationSubstitute: Omit for a drier version
- 2 ozCampariChilled, poured over ice firstSubstitute: Aperol for a milder, sweeter version
Instructions
- Fill a chilled wine glass or tumbler with ice
Glass pre-chilled in the freezer is ideal
- Pour 2 oz Campari over the ice
- Pour in 3 oz cold dry white wine
Both Campari and wine should be fridge-cold
- Add a short splash (about 1 oz) of soda water to lift the carbonation
- Stir once from the bottom with a barspoon to bring the Campari up through the wine
- Drop a thin lemon wheel into the glass and serve
Technique Notes
Build over ice in the wine glass, Campari first so the wine lifts it as it goes in. Fill with ice to the rim rather than halfway: a wide bowl warms fast, and this is a drink meant to last an hour.
Why the Bicicletta Works
Dry white wine does what Prosecco does in a Spritz without the residual sugar, so Campari's bitterness arrives unpadded and the drink finishes clean rather than sweet. The soda is there for length and lift, not dilution, and the lemon wheel scents the rim on the way up. Three parts wine to two of Campari is the ratio that keeps it an aperitivo instead of a wine cooler.