The Negroni Sbagliato cocktail is trending, here's how to make it - Spirits + Cocktails

by Stefanie Jackson

Oct 12, 2022

We can thank House of the Dragon for reviving this classic cocktail with a twist.

Not a gin drinker? Prefer a lighter cocktail when the warmer months roll around? Love giving new drinks a go?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you’ll want to dive right into the internet’s latest viral sensation, the Negroni Sbagliato. Sounds great, you say… but what exactly is it?

Consider the following information a gift, to add a touch of la dolce vita to your Friday and Saturday nights (or, if you prefer, your Sunday afternoons).

What is a Negroni Sbagliato cocktail?

A traditional Negroni Sbagliato is made by pouring vermouth and Campari into a short glass over ice, before topping it off with prosecco.

The light, orange-flavoured beverage is rumoured to have originated back in the ‘70s, when an Italian bartender mistakenly added prosecco, not gin, to the Negroni he was making. Sbagliato translates to “wrong” in Italian, but ordering a Wrong Negroni is clearly less sexy.

The addition of prosecco means this is most definitely *not* a classic Negroni, so don’t be shocked if the local bartender is confused by your request. This twist on a Negroni is actually more similar to an Americano.

The bartender while you order your Negroni sbagliato with Prosecco in it pic.twitter.com/YUoV4etfXU

— gabrielle korn (@Gabrielle_Korn) October 9, 2022

Why is the Negroni Sbagliato trending?

In a cast interview posted to HBO Max’s YouTube account last month, House of the Dragon star Emma D’Arcy was asked to name their favourite cocktail. And thus, like a fresh dragon egg from Daenerys Targaryen’s ashes, the legendary Negroni Sbagliato was reborn.

“what do you wish for rhaenyra?”
“a negroni. sbagliato. with prosecco in it.” pic.twitter.com/brBxjbKXQi

— 2L at rhaenicent law school (@temptationslvre) October 8, 2022

As all viral trends are wont to do, news of this infamous cocktail spread far and wide, with everyone from Men’s Health to my mum wanting to give it a try.