featured 19962

Sbagliato Rosso Cocktail Recipe: Sparkling Negroni Twist

I call this The Sbagliato Rosso. It’s a playful, delicious twist on the classic Negroni Sbagliato, swapping Prosecco for sparkling Lambrusco. The result balances sweet fruitiness with Negroni bitterness, yet remains very easy to make.

A red negroni sbagliato cocktail in a glass with a sprig of rosemary.

I’ll admit: I’m not a huge Campari fan. My husband loves the classic Negroni, but I find it very bitter. I do enjoy a Negroni Sbagliato — the gin is swapped for sparkling wine, which softens the drink — and lately I’ve been making and loving my version: the Sbagliato Rosso.

Instead of Prosecco, this cocktail uses Lambrusco, a sparkling red wine from Emilia Romagna. Lambrusco brings cherry, wild strawberry and raspberry notes, sometimes with floral or cranberry hints, which pair beautifully with the vermouth and Campari.

Lambrusco comes in colours from light rosé to deep red and in Dolce (sweet) or Secco (dry) styles. I usually use a sweet (dolce) Lambrusco for this recipe, but a dry one works well if you prefer less sweetness.

A bottle of Martini rosso, Lambrusco and Campari sitting on a wooden table with a black background.

Food to serve with your cocktail

Small bites are a perfect match for cocktails. Keep it simple with crisps (chips), mixed nuts or marinated olives. Taralli and Parmigiano cookies are always crowd-pleasers.

If you’re hosting an Apericena — dinner made up of many shared nibbles — try a Sicilian sfincione (thick focaccia-style pizza) or Rustici Leccesi (tomato and cheese-filled puff pastry bites) to create a memorable spread.

A close up of The Sbagliato Rosso cocktail in a glass with a sprig of rosemary.

More fun cocktails to try

A pomegranate spritz in a tall wine glass with a gold rim and a sprig of rosemary inside.

Drinks

Pomegranate Spritz

A festive spritz in a glass

Drinks

Santa’s Spritz Christmas Cocktail

A red wine spritz on a light background with slices of orange and Campari at the side.

Drinks

Giostra d’Alcol (Italian Red Wine Spritz)

A close up of a Negroni Sbagliato cocktail with olives at the side

Drinks

Negroni Sbagliato

If you try this Sbagliato Rosso cocktail or any other recipe here, please rate it and leave a comment — I love hearing how it turned out. You can also follow us on social media or sign up for our newsletter to receive more recipes.

Step By Step Photos Above

Most of our recipes include step-by-step photos, tips and sometimes video to help you get it right.

The Sbagliato Rosso

By Emily

Prep: 2 mins
Total: 2 mins
Servings: 1 cocktail
A close up cropped image of a red Italian cocktail in a short glass with a rosemary sprig.
Pin
Print
The Sbagliato Rosso is a festive twist on the Negroni Sbagliato that replaces Prosecco with sparkling Lambrusco. It’s an approachable, drinkable cocktail perfect for an Italian aperitivo or a celebration welcome drink.

Ingredients

  • 1 part Martini Rosso (or red vermouth) (1 fl oz / 30 ml)
  • 1 part Campari (1 fl oz / 30 ml)
  • 1 part Lambrusco wine (we used sweet Lambrusco) (1 fl oz / 30 ml)
  • Ice
  • Rosemary sprig, optional garnish

Instructions

  • Fill a short glass with ice. Pour in the Martini Rosso and Campari, then stir to combine.
  • Add the Lambrusco gently and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
  • If you prefer a sweeter or bubblier drink, top up with more Lambrusco to taste.

Helpful Info for All Recipes

  • When olive oil is needed, I use extra virgin olive oil unless stated otherwise.
  • For canned or jarred tomatoes I recommend trusted brands for best flavour.
  • Vegetable sizes are medium unless noted.
  • Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
  • Nutrition values are approximate and automatically calculated.

Nutrition

Calories: 125 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 10 g |
Protein: 0.02 g |
Sugar: 0.3 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.


Did you try this recipe?
Leave a comment below!