There are few places in this world I like to imbibe more than Italy. Not only can you get the best wine for way, way less money than here in the United States, but their backbars are overflowing with aperitivi and amari, those bittersweet liqueurs that are meant to open the appetite before a meal and help you digest after eating, respectively. Not only do they taste amazing, but they’re extremely diverse, often reflecting the ingredients, climate and culture of the regions from which they come. This is one of the reasons that American distillers have followed suit, sometimes building their entire brand around amari and aperitivi culture, because they get to show off what makes their locale special.
“Brucato emerged in our minds as a way to celebrate all things beautifully and deliciously Californian,” says Brucato Amaro co-founder and CEO Sierra Clarke. “My husband and I both grew up in California — he in the foothills, me in Carmel Valley — exploring the state’s vast and varied landscapes and loving the fresh flavors of its farms. After living abroad and on the East Coast for many years, we moved to San Francisco to raise our two daughters. We had developed a deep appreciation for food and drink cultures and, in particular, a love of amari because they represent the epitome of a taste of place.”

Others, like winemaker-turned-Mommenpop founder Samantha Sheehan, appreciate the deep complexity these European spirits bring to the table.
“A few years ago, I was sitting at the bar at one of my favorite restaurants in Napa called Angele,” Sheehan says. “A friend of mine ordered a glass of Lillet on the rocks and let me try it. The fact that it was as complex as a cocktail but made from wine was a real eye opener to me. This experience and a neighbor growing Seville oranges sparked the inspiration. A few weeks later, I was extracting combinations of hand-cut citrus and botanicals in a chardonnay I made.”
And it isn’t just a love of home that has these distillers turning to the Italian way of drinking. From a shifting American palate to the desire to showcase local ingredients in a different way, these U.S. brands are putting amari and aperitivi on a pedestal.
The Drinking Culture of Italy
From some of the world’s best wine to its most iconic cocktailsCatering to an American Palate That’s Growing Up
Amaro is the Italian word for bitter. It’s a flavor you become accustomed to very young there, when you first start eating things like chicories and dandelion greens. And although, historically, it hasn’t always been the most popular flavor in America, there’s been a shift in the last decade towards embracing bitter things. And one of the gateway beverages actually isn’t alcohol — it’s coffee.
“I think Americans like bitter things more than they admit,” Clarke says. “While many people still add loads of sweet flavorings to their morning coffee, many others savor the complex bitter notes without cream or sugar.”
Sheehan agrees. “There is an incredible coffee shop next to our tasting room in Napa that is always packed and overflows onto the patio,” she says. “There is a wide range of demographics ordering coffee, very young to much older customers. The coffee and espresso drinks are relatively bitter, and so is their matcha tea, which is really popular. About 15 years ago, I feel like it was all about sweet offerings like Frappuccinos from Starbucks, so this shift does suggest a broader trend towards more bitter.”

As much as social media has done some negative things for travel, it’s also opened people’s minds and introduced them to customs they weren’t familiar with before. There are few better examples of this than the European art of apéro or aperitivo hour, a time when drinks are sipped, snacks are consumed and the workday is left behind.
“What helps is the concept of the aperitivo hour, too,” says Patrick Miller, founder of Faccia Brutto Spirits, which launched in the midst of the pandemic in April 2020. “A little drink and bite to whet the appetite, which again transports people to an afternoon in Italy or France. I do think even in the last five years, we’ve seen slow but meaningful growth in the category.”
Even if you didn’t grow up eating bitter things, there’s a good chance you’re more exposed to those flavors now and therefore have developed a taste for them. And it doesn’t hurt when that thing is a delicious cocktail.
A Sense of Terroir Isn’t Just for Wine
As I was researching this piece, I realized many of these American amari are from California, which makes sense — the state is teeming with excellent produce. Much like in the countries around the Mediterranean, citrus fruits, grapes and herbs are plentiful, making it easy to source locally.
“We asked ourselves what sort of amaro would truly embody California in terms of ingredients, culture and drinking experience,” says Henry Tarmy, CEO and co-founder of Ventura Spirits, which makes an amaro called Angeleno. “Angeleno’s recipe is drawn from our coastal region, which is abundant with orange orchards and vineyards. It features fresh Valencia zest from organic Ojai-grown oranges, chamomile, lemon verbena and other botanicals, with gentian root providing key bitter flavor. The base is a blend of wine and brandy made from California-grown French colombard grapes.”

Brucato also uses local botanicals across their three amaro expressions. “Our bay laurel is native and wild harvested,” Clarke says. “Our figs, persimmon and apricots come from farms nearby. And most of our citrus, herbs and spices are grown in California, from Meyer lemon and grapefruit peel to coriander and mint. Much like amaro makers in Italy, we do import key spices, such as cinnamon and star anise, because these so beautifully augment and bring our other flavors to life.”
But even if citrus groves aren’t plentiful, that doesn’t stop distillers from using local ingredients. Take the Dolomites-born Doladira for example, which is made using alpine ingredients like plum, gentian, elderflower and pine. For New York-based Faccia Brutto, Miller also employs local ingredients, but not for every expression.
“Our Amaro Alpino uses local honey from upstate NY and spruce shoots in the springtime that we make a tincture from,” he says. “Otherwise, our focus is less on terroir and more on balance and general flavor profiles.”
While a lot of the amari brands from California focus on local ingredients and botanicals, Faccia Brutto is truly a nod to their Italian inspiration, but with an organic and sustainable twist. “Everything we make at FB is inspired by a category/type of amaro that already exists,” Miller says. “We want people to try our renditions of amari and aperitivi and be transported to a better place but without being held to any formal traditions — it allowed us to take a step back, listen to our friends in the industry and make these amazing products just a bit more suited to the American palate.”

Whether or not you’ve fully embraced the bitter flavors of amari and aperitivi, it’s certainly not a trend that shows any signs of slowing. “For us, enjoying amaro is about quality and conviviality,” Tarmy says. “It’s about taking a beat to slow down and appreciate what we have and to share the little triumphs and setbacks that make up our daily lives.”
We’ll toast to that — with a Negroni, no less.
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