I love a summer spritz. Honestly. But this season, I got bored of the usual red wine cola hacks. I wanted something crisp. Something for a white wine gal who needs that bitter kick without the heaviness.
So I dug into Italian archives. I found a drink that has been knocking around for 90 years.
It’s called a bicicletta.
Three ingredients. One hour of prep. Zero excuses.
What Is a Bicicletta?
The name means “bicycle” in Italian. The legend goes that it was named after elderly Italian men wobbling home from bars on their bikes after drinking this low-alcohol aperitivo. It sounds like a plausible origin story for a drink that’s essentially wine watered down just enough to keep you from falling off the saddle.
It’s a spritz-adjacent creature. It’s not a bellini. It’s not an aperol spritz. It’s simpler.
The recipe is unforgiving in its simplicity.
- Dry white wine
- Bitter red liqueur
- Club soda
That’s it. Garnish with citrus if you want to feel fancy. But you don’t need to.
Why Pinot Grigio Wins
I’m not a Campari loyalist. It’s too aggressive for my taste buds. I want bitterness, sure, but not like I’ve bitten into a lemon rind.
That’s where the flexibility of this Italian cocktail shines. You don’t have to use Campari. In fact, many purists might scoff at that suggestion, but I prefer Cappelletti.
Cappelletti is slightly sweeter. Less astringent. It’s Campari for people who find Campari too much.
For my batch, I stuck to Pinot Grigio. Two ounces of wine. Two ounces of Cappelletti. Equal parts make for a balanced profile. If you’re a Sauvignon Blanc person, go for it. A dry Chardonnay works too, though you’ll get a richer mouthfeel.
The choice is yours. The result is still refreshing.
How to Build the Drink
You don’t need a shaker. You don’t need muddling tools.
Grab a highball glass. Ice is mandatory.
- Pour two ounces of your chosen dry white wine over the ice.
- Add two ounces of your bitter liqueur.
- Top with club soda.
- Stir gently.
The carbonation from the soda lightens the structure. It lifts the aromatics of the citrus. If you’re using orange or lemon slices, drop them in before the soda. It looks better. It tastes slightly zestier.
Is it complex? No. Is it easy to drink on a hot afternoon? Absolutely.
Tips for a Better Bicicletta
You might wonder why yours tastes different than mine.
- Wine quality matters. Don’t use cooking wine. Use something you’d actually drink on a Tuesday night. If it tastes like vinegar, the cocktail will too.
- Bitterness is key. This drink relies on the bitter liqueur to cut through the sweetness of the wine and soda. If you skip the bitter component, it’s just sweet white wine soda. Not bad, but not a bicicletta.
- Glassware doesn’t dictate taste. I made mine in a standard highball. A coupe looks prettier but lets the bubbles escape faster. Use what you have.
The world of bitter liqueurs is vast. If you’re bored with Cappelletti, try Strucci Bitter or Galliano L’Aperitivo (the red version). Each brings a different herbal note. Strucci is more earthy. Galliano leans spicy. Campari is the benchmark for bitterness.
Why You’ll Make This All Summer
Most cocktails require a bar cart. They require fresh juice. They require a recipe card.
This doesn’t.
It sits in your rotation. You reach for the wine. You reach for the bitter bottle. You top with soda. It’s ready in under two minutes.
It’s not fancy. It’s not pretentious. It’s a low-alcohol treat that doesn’t demand your attention. It just sits there, orange slice bobbing, waiting for you to take a sip and forget about your to-do list for a bit.
Try it with something other than Pinot Grigio next time. See how the acidity changes the balance. You might find a new favorite within that three-ingredient framework. Or you might stick with what works.
Either way, grab a bike. Or just grab a glass.
