Venice - Select
There are two cocktails most strongly associated with Venice - the Bellini, a creation of Harry's Bar, and the Spritz, an artefact of the Austrian occupation. Arguably the latter remains more of a mainstay of modern Venice, and something enjoyed by Italians across the Veneto and further afield, while the former is more of a historical sideshow which is largely just enjoyed by tourists nowadays.
One story for the origin of the Spritz is that the addition of a bittering agent was a means of making the at-that-time not very well regarded regional wine more appealing to the Austrian palate. This is a bit ironic in the modern era, given the opinions I've been listening to from locals from the Veneto in the past few days, that they consider Campari and Aperol to be mass produced tat, and the local wines to be excellent. I still like both Campari and Aperol regardless, mass produced though they may be, but this apparent drink related regional animosity brings us nicely on to the subject of this article: Select.
When I first came to Venice, in 2011, I remember going to bars which actual genuine Venetians appeared to frequent, and proudly ordering a Spritz as though I were a local. They'd ask "Un Spritz con Campari o con Aperol?" and I'd usually confidently answer "con Aperol", delighted with myself that I knew what both of those things were and that I had a clear preference. I had no idea at that time that I had in fact failed the test.
The correct answer is "con Select". Yes, you'll note that wasn't either of the original two options. Whilst Campari and Aperol are ubiquitous, and are available internationally (I recall seeing Aperol in a Taiwanese restaurant in Tokyo, which rather assured me of its global status), Select is very much a Venetian product. At the time of writing you certainly can't buy it anywhere in the UK, similarly I don't think it's available in the US, and I don't even think it's particularly easy to find in the rest of Italy, outside the Veneto.
It is interesting to note that in shops in Venice, the price of a bottle is typically less than half of the price of a bottle of Campari or Aperol. I picked up a bottle for less than 7 Euros - at the current exchange rate a trifling 5 pounds. That seems rather incongruous with the otherwise pervasive "Venice equals expensive" message you get everywhere else in the city.
It makes for an interestingly different Spritz. The first thing that strikes you is, of course, the colour. Aperol lends an unmistakable orange tinge to the drink, Campari is obviously more off toward the red end of the spectrum, and I suppose of the two Select is closer to Campari in hue, but it's a different red - instead of the dark, crimson red of Campari, it's a rich, warm, fruity sort of red. Similarly the flavour has more fruit than Campari - a bit less bitter, a bit sweeter, but not in a bad way. I'm somehow reminded of things like Maraschino cherries in the flavour, although I doubt very much anything like that is actually a component.
Here's a Spritz con Select outside one of my favourite bars - La Palanca, on the Giudecca. Perhaps a bit out of season on this particular visit, but if you go here in the summer, ideally in time to catch the sunset, there's usually a delightful buzz of people milling around outside, with the water lapping at the quayside just below their feet.
Snack Bar La Palanca
Address: 448 Giudecca | Giudecca, 30133 Venice, Italy
Phone: 041 528 7719
One story for the origin of the Spritz is that the addition of a bittering agent was a means of making the at-that-time not very well regarded regional wine more appealing to the Austrian palate. This is a bit ironic in the modern era, given the opinions I've been listening to from locals from the Veneto in the past few days, that they consider Campari and Aperol to be mass produced tat, and the local wines to be excellent. I still like both Campari and Aperol regardless, mass produced though they may be, but this apparent drink related regional animosity brings us nicely on to the subject of this article: Select.
When I first came to Venice, in 2011, I remember going to bars which actual genuine Venetians appeared to frequent, and proudly ordering a Spritz as though I were a local. They'd ask "Un Spritz con Campari o con Aperol?" and I'd usually confidently answer "con Aperol", delighted with myself that I knew what both of those things were and that I had a clear preference. I had no idea at that time that I had in fact failed the test.
The correct answer is "con Select". Yes, you'll note that wasn't either of the original two options. Whilst Campari and Aperol are ubiquitous, and are available internationally (I recall seeing Aperol in a Taiwanese restaurant in Tokyo, which rather assured me of its global status), Select is very much a Venetian product. At the time of writing you certainly can't buy it anywhere in the UK, similarly I don't think it's available in the US, and I don't even think it's particularly easy to find in the rest of Italy, outside the Veneto.
It is interesting to note that in shops in Venice, the price of a bottle is typically less than half of the price of a bottle of Campari or Aperol. I picked up a bottle for less than 7 Euros - at the current exchange rate a trifling 5 pounds. That seems rather incongruous with the otherwise pervasive "Venice equals expensive" message you get everywhere else in the city.
It makes for an interestingly different Spritz. The first thing that strikes you is, of course, the colour. Aperol lends an unmistakable orange tinge to the drink, Campari is obviously more off toward the red end of the spectrum, and I suppose of the two Select is closer to Campari in hue, but it's a different red - instead of the dark, crimson red of Campari, it's a rich, warm, fruity sort of red. Similarly the flavour has more fruit than Campari - a bit less bitter, a bit sweeter, but not in a bad way. I'm somehow reminded of things like Maraschino cherries in the flavour, although I doubt very much anything like that is actually a component.
Here's a Spritz con Select outside one of my favourite bars - La Palanca, on the Giudecca. Perhaps a bit out of season on this particular visit, but if you go here in the summer, ideally in time to catch the sunset, there's usually a delightful buzz of people milling around outside, with the water lapping at the quayside just below their feet.
Snack Bar La Palanca
Address: 448 Giudecca | Giudecca, 30133 Venice, Italy
Phone: 041 528 7719
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