Pirlo (aperitivo)
Cocktail | |
---|---|
Type | Mixed drink |
Commonly used ingredients | still white wine, Campari, sparkling water |
Notes | Italy, Lombardy |
Pirlo is an
History
There are three different hypotheses on the origin of the pirlo, all of which belong to the oral traditions of local people. According to the first but less credible hypothesis, pirlo would have already existed before today's ingredients even existed (Campari or later Aperol). It was done by mixing white wine with vermouth and this used to be called dirty white, as claimed by elder local clients of historic taverns in the city centre. The second theory claims that pirlo appeared in the province of Brescia after
Current days
As previously said, the pirlo was originally made with still white wine and Campari, sparkling water (or seltzer in luxury bars) was then added around 1970s in order to liven up the taste. Afterwards, sparkling white wine and Aperol started to be used. Nowadays, there are two different ways to prepare a pirlo, except for the bitter part, which is always Campari or Aperol:
- a more traditional one with still white wine + sparkling water
- a more modern one with sparkling white wine + seltzer
Wines to be used
It is important to say that the still white wine must be from the region, ditto if you choose sparkling white wine and sparkling water, contrary to the traditional recipe with still white wine. Many types of wine are produced in the area of the province of Brescia but the
Origin of the name
The etymology of the name of this aperitif is somewhat uncertain. According to a certain anecdote that refers to oral traditions, the name pirlo may derive from the peculiar circular movement that the liqueur makes after falling into the wine. In the dialect, in fact, people usually say ‘ho fatto un pirlo’ (lit. I made a pirlo) when they fall, indeed, the idiom means ‘I fell’. The liqueur, while pouring into the glass, recalls a pirlo (a fall) going downwards and then returning upwards.
‘Pirlone’
The pirlone is nothing more than a double pirlo, often served in very big glasses. Pirlone, as a variant, became popular with the trend of the happy hour (in Italian ‘apericena’) characterised by abundant appetisers, for which a 'simple' pirlo may not be sufficient.
See also
- Aperol Spritz