This stunning Campari Fizz aperitif combines the herby, bitter taste of Campari and the sweetness of sparkling wine with mouthwatering results.–Louise Pickford
LC Bitter or Sweet, It’s Your Drink Note
This Campari Fizz recipe is all about personal taste—or, as we like to think of it, permission to play around a little. Care to highlight the complexity of Campari? Skip the simple syrup and pair it with a dry sparkling wine. Campari just a tad too bitter for you? Sweeten the cocktail with an extra splash of simple syrup or opt for a sparkler with some residual sweetness, such as Prosecco. Feel like you’re missing some bling? Toy with a citrus twist. This Campari Fizz is really what you make of it, which ought to be, first and foremost, whatever you fancy.
Campari Fizz
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1/2 teaspoon simple syrup or superfine sugar (or just blitz granulated sugar in a blender until finely ground but not powdery), plus more to taste
- Chilled sparkling wine
- Citrus twist, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Gently tip the Campari into a flute and stir in the simple syrup or sugar.
- Top off each flute with chilled sparkling wine. If using sugar, wait until the effervescence subsides and stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste and add more simple syrup or sugar, if desired. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This Campari Fizz is just the kind of simple, impressive cocktail to have in your arsenal as the holidays approach. Minimal effort, gorgeous color, and a great start to a meal. The amount of sugar called for worked fine with the sweet Prosecco I used to offset some of the bitterness of the Campari, but I think the sugar could be optional. A REALLY dry sparkling wine could probably use a touch of sugar. To really finish off this cocktail right, I would recommend adding a lemon or orange twist, as it seems naked without it.
I always have a bottle of Campari in the liquor cabinet. I’m a huge fan of the Negroni cocktail (Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin) so I thought I would try this lovely recipe for a sweet and bubbly Campari Fizz. The combo of the bitterness from the Campari pairs very well with the sweetness of the sugar and the bubbly (I used a Prosecco). I think for presentation’s sake, a sugar cube would look lovely at the bottom of a Champagne glass with this cocktail.
This Campari Fizz is a super easy aperitif. Campari is a flavor that has grown on me as an adult, and this is a friendly, more festive alternative to a Negroni. We tried it with a Cava that wasn’t very sweet and it worked well both with and without the sugar. While I wasn’t inclined to use Prosecco, someone with more of a sweet tooth might find that or a sweeter cava more to their taste, but this worked well as is. This Campari Fizz is a nice trick to have in your arsenal when life throws you a reason to celebrate!
First off, I must say that the simplicity of any 2-ingredient cocktail should be commended. I’m a Negroni-with-a-spritz-of-soda kind of girl, so I was excited to see this Campari Fizz recipe. Mmm. Campari. My favorite. I’m not sure the sugar is necessary—Campari certainly is (bitter)sweet on its own. I guess it depends on your choice of sparkling wine. I made this with Prosecco, which is dry and took to the sugar nicely. I’m just not convinced sugar is necessary. What I think this cocktail is missing is a hint of citrus. A squeeze of grapefruit or orange juice and a thin slice of the fruit would really tie the flavors together. Plus, it’d make this a nice little drink for brunch.
I love Campari, and I love Prosecco, so this was the perfect combination for me. I used a medium-dry Prosecco which, together with the sugar, provided just the right balance for the bitterness of the Campari. The drink takes less than a minute to make. I used granulated sugar, and no matter how much you stir, it will not dissolve in the Campari. I suggest using superfine sugar or a bit of simple syrup if you happen to have it around. If granulated is all you have, then you can make it finer with a few spins in a food processor.
If you’re looking for something new, or want to relive a classic, mix yourself up a Campari Fizz and experience it fully, be it on a balcony with your best friends, at a kitchen table with your family, or on a city stoop all on your own.
