Mike Bennie celebrates the reborn
art of the aperitivo hour (or two!) with
suggestions for your drinking pleasure.KICK BACK,
KICK ON
@mikebennie101 @mikebennie101EARLIER THIS YEAR, Sydney restaurateur
Maurice Terzini kicked off ‘Aperitivo Hour’
at his spruced-up Dolphin Hotel in Surry
Hills. Alongside Icebergs colleagues
Monty Koludrovic and James Hird, he
invited some of Australia’s hottest talent,
including the likes of Paul Carmichael
(Momofuku Seiobo), Clayton Wells
(Automata) and the Pinbone collective,
to host a rip-roaring ‘happy hour’
between 5pm and 7pm.
The powerful line-up has been
instrumental in a reawakening of the
traditional Italian aperitivo concept. “It’s
a cultural identity thing,” says Terzini, “a
debrief of the day.” He riffs: “A spritz, an
ombra, vermouth, olives, lots of olives,
anything that doesn’t require too much
effort, anchovies, salumi, a chip or two.”
For former MasterChef finalist André
Ursini, of André’s Cucina & Polenta Bar
in Adelaide, “it’s the prelude to eating
dinner”, telling us what we want to hear.
“Aperitivo also relies on bitter-style drinks
being served to stimulate digestive juices,”
he adds. “We must embrace the bitter and
understand why it exists as a culinary
weapon in Italian culture.”
Sommelier-turned-fine-wine importer
Giorgio de Maria has the lowdown on his
drinks approach to aperitivo time. “I would
serve anything amusing and stimulating.
Of course some bubbles, though
vermouth and soda could be a great fit on
a hot day, while orange wine and off-the-
chain rosés are the drinks for winter.”
De Maria sees a great synergy between
Australian and Italian culture, with a hook:
“I think Australians get aperitivo, but with
no food... go back a few decades to the
six o’clock swill, or more recently to happy
hour in the party bars. It shows the will of
people to relax and have fun before dinner.
So I believe Australians will get it, but,
remember, food is an essential ingredient
of aperitivo success.” Grazie to that!
Aperitivo Hour, Sun to Thurs 5pm-7pm,
at The Dolphin Hotel, 412 Crown St, Surry
Hills; dolphinhotel.com.au/aperitivo-hourCONTRATTO BITTER, $47
If you like Campari, well,
look no further. This
all-natural alternative uses
roots, herbs and spices- with no added colours
or flavours – to create a
tangy, bitter but refreshing
drink that’s best served
with soda water on the
rocks and a big wedge
of orange.
DAL ZOTTO PINK
PUCINO PROSECCO NV,
$17 Tiny sips of pink, fizzy
wine are just the ticket to
get the taste buds kicking.
This number, from a killer
producer in Victoria’s King
Valley, is wildly drinkable,
ballistically fresh and lively,
and is kissed with a light
strawberry sweetness,
yet finishes dry.SPRING SEED MORNING
BRIDE ROSÉ 2016, $20
From organically grown
vines comes this juicy,
easy-drinking rosé of
immense vitality. Think
watermelon juice and a
touch of rose hip tea. At
aperitivo hour, splash in
some soda for a wicked
spritzer. Nothing wrong
with that.DUB STYLE TANGERINE
NO1 VIOGNIER 2016,
$25 This is an orange wine- a white wine made kind
of like a red wine, with
skins immersed in the juice
during fermentation. It
means a wine that’s a little
savoury, spicy and then
chalky in texture. A ripping
drink, tangerine-like in its
tang and ideal with salumi.
BRAULIO AMARO, $43
Typically, this is called a
digestif, but the same
principles apply – bitter,
good for the stomach,
great with snacks. Chill
this down really well and
serve it in a small glass.
It’s all wild mint and fennel,
cola-like character,
chamomile and exotic
spice. I love the stuff.CHINATI VERGANO
AMERICANO APERITIF,
$50 From an artisan
producer in Piedmont
comes one of the world’s
most thirst-slaking,
bitter-sweet drinks. It’s
made from alpine herbs,
and other magic things,
steeped in local wine.
It’s one of my favourite
things to imbibe.delicious.com.au/drinks
To peruse more of Mike’s
favourite drinks.32 delicious.com.auDRINKS.