Made up primarily, but not exclusively, of libations of one sort or the other, our pantry of samples has received some interesting new (and newish) products lately. Here’s a bit of what we’ve been sipping lately.
My infatuation with spritzes started in Italy, with the bright orangey-colored Aperol spritzes that are practically as ubiquitous as wine. It’s hard to beat the taste when you’ve got a view of Lake Cuomo, but the Santa Barbara region is giving them a pretty good run for their money with multiple innovative variations on the spritz available on bar menus from Dom’s Taverna, Buena Onda Empanadas, La Paloma, and Gracie (and I’m sure many others).
Also getting into the spritz action are some manufacturers in the area. Ventura Spirits has a lovely Angeleno Amaro made from orange zest, white wine, and brandy, as well as their traditional limoncello made from organic Ventura County lemons. Both are great mixed with sparkling wine or sparkling water if you want a low-alcohol spritz. They even have canned versions of the Angeleno Spritz and Limoncello Spritz available if you’re on the go.