Contessa
Gin, Aperol and dry vermouth in equal parts, stirred over ice. The Negroni's pale, gentle sister — bitter orange without Campari's bite, dry vermouth instead of sweet, and an aperitivo for people who find the Negroni too much.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Add the gin, Aperol and dry vermouth to a mixing glass.
Fill with ice and stir for 25 seconds.
Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass, or up into a chilled coupe.
Express a grapefruit twist over the top and drop it in.
A thoughtful finish
- Fresh dry vermouth; it is a third of the drink.
- A grapefruit twist suits the Aperol better than orange.
- Up in a coupe it drinks like a Martini; on the rock, like a Negroni.
Common mistakes
- Sweet vermouth, which makes a different, sweeter drink.
- Stale vermouth.
- Shaking.
A few good questions.
What does a Contessa taste like?
Gin and bitter orange with dry vermouth's herbs — lighter, drier and far less bitter than a Negroni.
Why the name?
The countess to the Negroni's count.
Is it a Negroni?
A Negroni variation: Aperol for Campari, dry vermouth for sweet.
How strong is it?
Around 20% — gentler than a Negroni's 24%.
Variations
- Negroni — Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth.
- Aperol Negroni — Gin, Aperol and sweet vermouth.
- White Negroni — Gin, Lillet and Suze.
- Old Pal — Rye, Campari and dry vermouth.
Where it comes from
c. 2010s · United States
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
The Contessa — ‘countess’, to the Negroni’s count — is a 2010s menu drink that swaps the Negroni’s Campari for Aperol and its sweet vermouth for dry: gin, Aperol and dry vermouth in equal parts, stirred, with a grapefruit or orange twist. It is lighter, drier and far less bitter than a Negroni, closer to a dry Martini with an orange-aperitif accent, and it was taken up by bars as the Negroni for a first-timer or a hot afternoon. Several bartenders claim it and none convincingly; it is the kind of drink that was invented in a dozen places at once when Aperol arrived in American bars after 2010.
Sources
- Difford's Guide, Contessa, 2014 (reference)
- Punch, Negroni Variations, 2016 (reference)
- Liquor.com, Contessa, 2020 (reference)
Strength. About 1.2 US standard drinks at an estimated 20% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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