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The Negroni sbagliato became an overnight sensation when a viral TikTok clip took off.Fernando Morales/The Globe and Mail
How could the Negroni become more popular? When it’s made “with prosecco in it.”
A behind-the-scenes interview featuring House of the Dragon actors Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke turned the Negroni sbagliato (pronounced ‘spal-yacht-oh’) cocktail into a viral sensation that shows no signs of stopping. Part of the allure of the clip posted last month is D’Arcy’s dramatic phrasing.
“Negroni... sbagliato...with prosecco in it,” D’Arcy says, with pauses that would make 007 proud, when asked to name their drink of choice. Since its post October 5 on HBO’s TikTok page, the interview has amassed more than 30 million views at the time of writing and managed to turn the circa 1980s cocktail into an unlikely overnight sensation.
Campari Group’s Head of Marketing, Julka Villa, says the original post and the tens of thousands response clips by fans, bartenders and bloggers has created a surge in orders at bars and restaurants around the world. There has also been a 500 per cent increase in Google searches for the recipe, suggesting people are preparing to mix their own versions at home.
“It’s simple to prepare, whether we are talking about the classic Negroni or a Negroni sbagliato, it’s three ingredients, with one part Campari, one part vermouth and one part gin or prosecco for the sbagliato version,” says Villa. Replacing gin with prosecco makes for lighter cocktail, with lower alcohol (around 15 per cent) with pleasing effervescent and thirst-quenching character.
The classic negroni, which has been growing in popularity over the past decade, was named 2022′s best-selling cocktail by the Drinks International 2022 Annual Brand Report. Other classic Campari-based cocktails featured in the Top 20 were the Boulevardier, ranked 12th, and the Americano, placing 16th. Bar owners, managers and head bartenders were asked to submit their three best-selling products in each spirit category as well as wine and beer to formulate the bestsellers list.
Credited to bartender Mirko Stocchetti at Bar Basso in Milan, the Negroni sbagliato stands a good chance of joining next year’s list. “The awareness of the cocktail has increased enormously over the last two, three weeks,” Villa explains.
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Christopher Waters