Enzoni cocktail recipe

If you try ordering an Enzoni at a noisy bar, you might walk away with a Negroni. But that wouldn’t be too far off – their names sound similar because they share similar DNA. A classic Negroni is gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. This modern classic, the Enzoni, swaps sweet vermouth for muddled green grapes, and adds fresh lemon juice and sugar syrup, to create the perfect gateway cocktail for those who may be newer to Campari and bitter aperitivos.

Negronis, and their numerous variants, are now de rigueur, but when Vincenzo Errico created the Enzoni at Match Bar in London in the early 2000s, it was ahead of its time. However, despite the rise of aperitivo culture, many are yet to embrace Campari and bitter cocktails. That’s where the Enzoni comes in. By subduing the Campari’s bitterness, and lifting the cocktail into sour territory, we’re left with a hybrid that’s new, familiar, and downright mouthwatering.

If you’re a Negroni fanatic wondering whether the Enzoni is for you, the answer is yes. Bringing a cocktail shaker to a Negroni party might feel like breaking the rules, but it’s the right tool for this job. Think of it as a cross between a Negroni and a Sour, offering a new perspective on what you already know and love. There’s a Negroni at its core, with all the bitter-sweet interplay, but the Enzoni adds a punchy sour element from the fresh citrus, and a new dimension in the subtle grape fruitiness that really shines with the Campari and gin.

And if you’re still wondering why Enzoni sounds like Negroni, Enzoni is a nod to the creator's first name and the cocktail that inspired it.

Don’t have green grapes? Try red, but remember, green will provide more acidity.

Too sweet? Or, too sour? Adjust the fresh lemon juice and sugar syrup to taste. Alternatively, try muddling more, or fewer, grapes.

Fresh out of Campari, but you’ve got Aperol? Give it a try. Keep in mind that Aperol is sweeter, and less bitter, than Campari, and has approximately half the ABV.

Not a gin fan? Try rye whiskey, and make what’s known as a Fall Enzoni.