Sanbitter Spritz

A vibrant red non-alcoholic spritz using San Pellegrino's Sanbitter – bitter, refreshing, and visually stunning

Sanbittèr is San Pellegrino's non-alcoholic bitter aperitif, launched in 1961 as "Bitter Sanpellegrino" - Italy's first non-alcoholic aperitivo - and later shortened to Sanbittèr in the 1980s (sources vary on the exact year). Built on citrus extracts, herbs and spices, its bright red colour and bittersweet, orange-and-grapefruit profile were made to echo the alcoholic red aperitivi, especially Campari, giving those who skip alcohol a genuine place in the aperitivo ritual. Its maker, Sanpellegrino, was founded in 1899 at San Pellegrino Terme in the Lombard Alps, where mineral springs had been prized for centuries - Leonardo da Vinci is said to have visited in 1509 to study the water. As the Italian aperitivo spread worldwide through the 2010s on the popularity of the Aperol Spritz, Sanbittèr became a recognised non-alcoholic entry to the same flavour world. Served over ice with a splash of sparkling water and an orange slice in a wine glass, the Sanbitter Spritz delivers that aperitivo experience without the alcohol.