Campari’s Zero-Proof Spritz Finally Touches Down in the US — But Are Americans Ready for the Flavor?

(Photo: Campari)

Few drinks have dominated the cocktail culture of the 2020s quite like the Aperol Spritz. From the sunny vistas of the Mediterranean to the trendy brunch spots of Los Angeles, the neon red serve has become a ubiquitous sight among of-age youngsters who don’t mind wrangling a comedically oversized glass. It’s a flavor, a vibe and a statement piece wrapped into one; an aspirational waft of Italy primed and ready for an Instagram post or viral TikTok moment.

It was only a matter of time before Gruppo Campari, the spirits giant behind Aperol, expanded the cocktail’s appeal into another of Gen Z’s most pressing interests — the world of nonalcoholic drinks.

In June, the company introduced Crodino to the United States. The pale-orange, nonalcoholic apertif is made from a proprietary blend of 15 botanicals that includes cardamom, cloves, coriander and nutmeg. Unlike its alcoholic cousins, Crodino is sold exclusively in 100-milliliter bottles, which can now be bought on Amazon for around $30 per 10-pack.

It’s a timely gamble on the future of the beverage market. In an era when younger drinkers are opting for sobriety at record-high rates, it should come as no surprise that Campari would launch a nonalcoholic spritz to capitalize on the Aperol craze. Marketing, however, doesn’t always tell the full story. Though Crodino is being pitched to American consumers as a zero-proof spritz, the drink has been a mainstay in its home country of Italy for well over 50 years, where it’s enjoyed alongside dozens of other sodas steeped with bitter botanicals. In other words, Campari has retrofitted a decades-old drink into the mold of a modern-era nonalcoholic alternative — and with luck, it just might be a breakout success.

We chatted with Allison Varone, Campari America’s Head of Marketing, to learn more.

“Crodino was created in Northern Italy in 1965, during a time when Italian herbalists were developing non- and low-alcohol options that still delivered complexity and depth,” Varone told us. “The goal was to offer a full-flavored alternative that fit seamlessly into the aperitivo ritual.”

“In Italy, bitter sodas have been a part of everyday aperitivo culture for decades, rooted in the country’s appreciation for balanced, bittersweet flavors. In the 1960s, Italians naturally reached for drinks like Crodino during aperitivo as a way to unwind before dinner, socialize with friends, and mark the transition from day to evening.”

Crodino fits into a category that’s often referred to as bitter Italian sodas. Unlike American sodas — which are best known for, let’s be honest, corn syrup — products like Stappi, Cedrata and San Pellegrino Sanbittèr revel in sharp flavors of rhubarb and Angelica root. These drinks are an icon of Italian drinking culture, enough so that one of them (Cinotto) is the national soda of Italy.

We cracked open a bottle of Crodino to see what all the fuss was about. At first whiff, it has all the effervescence and citrus of a Fanta, minus about 20 degrees of sweetness. Bitter hints of cloves, rose water and quinine call to mind an aperitif or gin, combined with a surprising undercurrent of vanilla that adds a vaguely autumnal vibe to this very, very summery drink.

Orange and citrus pith take hold on the palate. Though we wouldn’t call the flavor fresh-squeezed, it lacks the artificial, faintly metallic bite of so many sodas that advertise themselves as “orange” in big quotation marks. From there, the experience quickly gives way to botanicals. Distinct hints of cardamom, gentian root, cloves and almond prick the back of the throat, recreating the love-it-or-hate-it vibe of aperitifs like Campari and St. Agrestis.

“Crodino was ahead of its time,” Varone added. “Modern consumers seek flavor, ritual, and flexibility without compromising taste. The surprisingly nuanced flavor profile captures the citrus-herbal complexity of aperitivo, and soul of a classic spritz – minus the alcohol. Crodino fits seamlessly into that shift, delivering the full Spritz experience without compromise.”

Read Our Full Review of Crodino Here.