Earlier this month, rock musician Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, launched their newest drinks endeavor, Amante 1530, an Italian amaro dedicated to the bel paese. This comes as an extension of their wine label, Il Palagio, the Tuscan estate and vineyards the couple bought in 1997.
“We became enthralled by the idea of creating a modern amaro that we could all enjoy together,” Sting told Wine Spectator via email. “It was serendipitous that Il Palagio’s renowned enologist, Riccardo Cotarella, has experience crafting amaro.”
Amante 1530 is entering a very competitive aperitif market. According to drinks industry publication Market Watch, America's love for aperitivo hour has been on a steady rise since the mid-2010s.
“The draw is the social aspect of it,” says Amante 1530 co-founder and CEO Ana Rosenstein. “It’s all about sitting around a table at sunset in the hills of Tuscany splitting a bottle with friends and lovers alike. We start the evening with an aperitivo, as it brings people together before a meal, and serves as a teaser for what is to come. It heightens your palate and brings energy to the group. After dinner, it helps you unwind and cap off the evening on a seductive and delicious note.”
Rosenstein explains that she really wants Amante 1530 to be a “universal” bitter liqueur. “As we started sampling formulations, the thing that immediately jumped out to us was that people were loving our liquid served in the style of an aperitivo, in a cocktail, as well as a digestivo, neat or on the rocks.”
To show off the versatility of Amante 1530, a full suite of different cocktails was made in collaboration with the beverage team at Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence–winner Torrisi Bar & Restaurant from Major Food Group. Styler says that one of her favorites combines the amaro with gin, green tea syrup and lemon juice.
While Sting and Styler are behind the project, they seem to be shying away from the spotlight to avoid the “celebrity brand” stereotypes. But the new spirit is technically still a part of the Il Palagio family (the name is even inscribed at the top of the bottle). Cotarella is overseeing production, and Amante is being distilled in collaboration with Rome-based Limoncello producer Pallini. The name Amante 1530 is even a nod to Il Palagio, with 1530 being the year the estate was founded.
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