Four years after launching in Europe, Sarti Rosa— Campari’s newest Italian aperitivo — has hit U.S. shores. And the rose-colored spirit is already generating plenty of buzz: Some retailers have been limiting Sarti purchases to one or two bottles to prevent hoarding.
Sarti, which is sort of like Aperol’s sweeter sister, began rolling out on the East Coast in July. Developed by the historic Casa Luigi Sarti & Figli distillery in Bologna, Italy, Sarti is made with Sicilian blood oranges, mango and passion fruit.
Given the dominance of Campari and Aperol in spritzes and other cocktails, why create another aperitivo? During a private tasting at the Campari Academy in New York, Claudia Young, Campari Group’s brand manager, aperitifs, noted that Americans tend to prefer sweet drinks.
Sarti’s sweeter, fruit-forward flavor profile makes it more approachable to consumers in the U.S., who are not as accustomed to bitter aperitifs, she noted. Global market trends also show that consumers want new occasions for imbibing — such as day drinking — along with lower ABV and new flavor options.
Young said the 14%-ABV Sarti balances the company’s core aperitivo portfolio at the opposite end of Campari in terms of bitterness, with Aperol in the middle. (Crodino, the company’s non-alcoholic, ready-to-serve, arrived in the U.S. this past May and provides a spirit-free Spritz option.) Sarti’s suggested retail price of $26.50 is about the same as Aperol’s.
Puttin’ on the Spritz
As with Aperol, Sarti is making waves as a Spritz cocktail. The recipe has the same 3-2-1 ratio: three parts chilled prosecco; two parts Sarti or Aperol, and one part soda water. The Sarti Spritz is garnished with a lime wedge instead of an orange slice, though.
Like the bright orange-hued Aperol Spritz, the vibrant pink Sarti Spritz tends to generate me-too orders when it goes by on a cocktail tray. It’s been so popular in the markets available that some have declaring the Sarti Spritz the drink of summer 2026.
Not For Long, an Italian disco-inspired pop-up bar in Washington, D.C., began promoting the Sarti Spritz on its menu in August. The cocktail fits in well with the Union Market bar’s atmosphere, which boasts shimmering disco balls, a curated soundtrack of Italian 70s tunes, plus a flavorful menu from Spritzes to Negronis and Boozy Soft Serve.
More Americans are embracing the art of aperitivo — the Italian tradition of gathering with friends before dinner for a low-ABV drink and some savory snacks. That’s a good sign for botanical Italian liqueurs, old and new. If early results are any indication, Sarti is already on track to help shape the next chapter of the Spritz movement.
