The Ve.n.to is one of the new additions to the IBA (International Bartender Association) cocktail list. And it is a truly unusual one, for it is the first-ever Grappa cocktail that made it into one of the lists of the IBA.
In case you're not familiar with Grappa, it's a clear spirit from Italy made of grapes. A product that Italians take immense pride in.
So, it's no surprise that Grappa lovers across the country are very excited about this cocktail.
The ingredients
Grappa is not the only unusual ingredient in the Ve.n.to cocktail. Besides that, you will find chamomile liqueur and honey mix with a chamomile base.
The problem with these two ingredients is that, for many of us, it is hard to get them at your local shops. So if you want to make the cocktail, you most likely will have to make at least one of the ingredients yourself.
The honey mix with chamomile is easy to make at home. As you might know from hot tea, honey mixed with chamomile is a real treat, and so is the chamomile-based honey syrup. It just takes equal amounts of chamomile tea and honey to create this flavored honey syrup.
The one thing you should remember is that it has to cool down before you actually can use it. So it makes sense to prepare it the day before you want to use it for the Ve.n.to. cocktail.
The chamomile liqueur is more complicated and only slightly easier to get. You might be lucky and find it online.
However, what's even more interesting about that ingredient is that the IBA recipe translates it as "chamomile cordial".Â
After checking with Samuele Ambrosi, he reassured me that it's really not cordial but a liqueur. The misunderstanding comes from the following:
In the original Italian recipe for the Grappa drink, that liqueur is referred to as "Cordiale alla camomilla". I guess you can see where the misunderstanding has its roots.
The history behind the Ve.n.to cocktail
The Vento cocktail is an hommage to Grappa and its home country Italy. It is a beautiful blend of spirit, honey, and chamomile.
Its foundation is the traditional way of enhancing Grappa that is brought to life again with some modern twists.
Because the cocktail is brand new, there's no long history to look into. There are no old secrets, confusions, or funny stories to tell. But this also has its advantages. We know exactly who invented it, how it came to its name, and what the creators think of it.
Supervised by the current president of the IBA, Giovanni Fadda, the Ve.n.to cocktail was created by Samuele Ambrosi, head of the mixology department at GrappaRevolution, and Leonardo Varesi, Founder and bartender at Riva Bar.
The intention of the two mixologists when creating the Ve.n.to cocktail was not to establish the ultimate best way to enjoy Grappa. The goal was to showcase the spirit's versatility.
Reminded by the habits of their grandparents, Samuele and Leonardo developed a cocktail based on Grappa. Back in those days, people used to sweeten their Grappa with local herbs.
Samuele describes this concoction as "something similar to the Canchanchara or the Ti' Punch." It is a traditional mix of ingredients that they both wanted to get into the modern Ve.n.to drink.
Why the Vento is spelled Ve.n.to
Besides its ingredients, the name of this Grappa drink also stirs interest.
While Vento would be a perfectly acceptable name, the creators integrated two extra dots in between.
Vento in Italian means wind. "Something you can't touch, but that can unite all lands", Samuele describes the meaning of the cocktail.
The dots in the name emphasize the origin of the Grappa. They unite two of the most famous Grappa regions in one word.
Ve stands for Venezia, or Venice, as you probably know it. It's the capital of the Veneto region. And this already explains the second part of the cocktail's name: the "Ve" plus the n refer to Veneto.
And the last syllable, the to, stands for Trentino Alto Adige.
About Grappa
Now to the main ingredient of the cocktail. Grappa is an exciting and unique spirit from Italy. A traditional digestif or post-dinner drink.
And, as a matter of fact, it is a spirit made of leftovers from wine-making. You might wonder how this can be. After all, Grappa is not known to be one of the cheaper spirits. So let's have a closer look at this and find out.
When making wine, the grapes are pressed thoroughly to get as much liquid out of them as possible. And what's then left in the press is called pomace.
Pomace is the name for the solid remains of the grapes and can't be used to make wine. It includes stems, seeds, and stalks. The purpose of Grappa is to capture the essence of these leftover grape bits. And the result of this is a beautiful and intense spirit. Grappa is also more on the heavy side, usually ranging between 36% to 60% ABV.
This traditional process is a perfect example of how not to waste ingredients. -A role model for the zero-waste movement.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Smooth white Grappa
- 0.75 oz Fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 oz Chamomile-based honey mix
- 0.5 oz Chamomile liqueur
- 1 Egg white
- White grapes and lemon peel - (for garnish)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into your cocktail shaker without ice. Dry shake for 10-15 seconds.1.5 oz Smooth white Grappa, 0.75 oz Fresh lemon juice, 0.5 oz Chamomile-based honey mix, 0.5 oz Chamomile liqueur, 1 Egg white
- Open the shaker, add ice, and shake again until the cocktail is well-chilled.
- Strain the cocktail on ice into a coupe or Old Fashioned glass.
- Garnish with lemon peel and white grapes speared on a cocktail pick.White grapes and lemon peel