Gintroducing Italy’s Next Icon 🍸
Go for the pasta, stay for the gin.
Gin might’ve played a supporting role in the Negroni for the last century, but young Italians are giving it a leading part — neat, no vermouth or Campari in sight.
The aperitivo hour is getting a refresh, and this time, it’s all about crisp, regionally-made gin served simply with tonic.
“Italian gin, which was virtually nonexistent as a category a decade ago, has rapidly expanded, with several high-quality brands in the super-premium to ultra-premium bracket,” says Rob Forman, director of sales at Dalla Terra Winery Direct, which launched its small-batch Elena Dry Gin back in 2020.
And honestly? It tracks. Juniper grows wild all over Tuscany and Piedmont. What’s new is how distillers are turning it into polished, punchy spirits that hold their own in a cocktail (or just a highball glass).
A few standouts to know:
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