The moment when, at the end of the day, you take off your jacket to sip a glass of wine paired with a crostini is a moment of pure happiness. Let's see which bottle to choose for the aperitif, to best enjoy one of life's great pleasures, as well as a must on a Friday evening. Three tips for a perfect aperitif.
Whether at home or out, the aperitif is a moment of great joy. Here are Sommelier Wine Box's advice for choosing wine.
What is the aperitif?
As a moment , it is the one that starts at six in the afternoon , after work, and is characterized by wine or other spirits of various kinds that accompany, and encourage, chatting with friends. Traditionally it is the moment before dinner, although it can replace it.
If on a social level it is a truly collective ritual , in everyone's memories the aperitif is a moment of carefree pleasure .
What is an "aperitif wine"?
For passionate people, aperitif wine is a complementary concept to wine for the whole meal : therefore not too structured, fresh, aromatic if you like it, capable of whetting the appetite .
- Read also: all the tricks for tasting like a sommelier
How long have you been “having an aperitif”?
Since ancient times , the moment before dinner has been used to sip an alcoholic drink. The term derives from aperire , meaning to open (meaning the stomach). Hippocrates , a Greek doctor who lived in the 4th century BC, treated his patients who lacked appetite with bitter wine-based drinks. And the French apéritif also originally had a meaning of a medicinal substance that facilitates digestion.
An important moment in the history of the aperitif occurs with the birth of Vermouth: we are in Turin at the end of the eighteenth century , baptized the official aperitif of the Savoy court. The aperitif was officially born.
The aperitif as a social moment exploded in Milan between the two wars , with very simple appetizers that remained unchanged until the 1980s, when happy hour made its appearance in Milan (a term taken from the period of prohibition in the United States, 1919 -1933). A special meaning of aperitif is the "Milanese" one invented by Vinicio Valdo , a legendary entrepreneur who invented the magic formula of free food accompanied by alcohol, which was paid for.
What wine to choose for the aperitif? Advice from our experts
1. Keyword: lightness
Calvino told us over 35 years ago: lightness is a great virtue. Whether offered at home or out, the aperitif is a moment in which to tease light foods, which find the perfect pairing with equally carefree wines.
So, green light for bubbles - which easily pair with many varieties of foods - and drinkable, fresh white wines that are not aged for long . For red diehards, the advice is to focus on drinkable wines, for example Pinot Noir, Schiava, Barbera ...
- Read also: what is the difference between the Classic Method and the Martinotti Method
2. Pay attention to the progression of the wines
Let's be honest: why limit yourself to just one glass? And why continue with the same wine in the following ones?
When choosing the first glass, the advice is to keep the progression in mind, and therefore not to start from the most complex white wine being poured, which would devalue all subsequent tastings.
3. Preference for local wines
Especially if you are out of town, at least one glass of local wines should be tried. Let the host advise you and the aperitif will also turn into a moment of discovery.
