How it tastes
Bitter Campari, soft vermouth, dry sparkle on top. The prosecco lifts the whole drink and stretches it out. People sometimes describe a Sbagliato as "Negroni for daytime" and that's about right. Lower ABV, longer drinking window, the same red bitterness.
Why we built it
Where it came from
Bar Basso, Milan, 1972. The bartender Mirko Stocchetto was making a Negroni for a guest, reached for the gin bottle, and grabbed the prosecco bottle by mistake. The guest tasted it, loved it, asked for it again. "Sbagliato" means "mistaken" in Italian. Bar Basso still pours them in the same hand-blown glass with a single oversized ice cube. The drink had a moment a few years back when the actress Emma D'Arcy described it on a press junket and the internet briefly went rabid for it. We've been pouring it the whole time.
Why we pour it
We pour it because it does what a good aperitif should do: opens the appetite, doesn't fill you up, doesn't end the evening before it starts.
Where to drink it
On request at Dissolved Solids in Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya. Best in the early evening, with a small plate. Reserve a table for a guaranteed seat. Walk-ins welcome.
Frequently asked questions
What glass is the Negroni Sbagliato served in?
A chilled rocks glass over a single large ice cube, with a half orange wheel tucked between the ice and the rim. Bar Basso in Milan, where the drink was invented in 1972, still pours them in a hand-blown rocks glass with an oversized cube. The single large rock dilutes slowly so the prosecco bubbles last.
Can I substitute the prosecco?
Any dry sparkling wine works. Cava is the closest substitute and slightly drier. Champagne overcomplicates the drink and wastes the wine. Crémant or any extra-brut sparkling sits well. Avoid sweet sparklings (Asti, Moscato d'Asti); they turn the drink syrupy. The point is the dryness and the bubble, not the prestige.
How strong is the Negroni Sbagliato?
Around 11 to 14 percent ABV in the glass after the prosecco top and the ice melt. Significantly lower than a classic Negroni (which sits at 24 to 28 percent). The lower strength is part of the point: built as an aperitivo or daytime drink, where the prosecco lengthens what the Negroni shortens.
Where can I order a Negroni Sbagliato in PJ or KL?
On request at Dissolved Solids in Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya (43-1 Jalan SS20/11, Tue to Sun 15:00 to 01:00, WhatsApp +60 11-4008 7607) and at Soluble Solids in SS2, Petaling Jaya (50-1 Jalan SS2/24, Wed to Sun 18:00 to 01:00, WhatsApp +60 11-1682 8651). Both bars are in Tatler Asia Top 20 Bars 2025/26. Best in the early evening or as a long lunch drink, with a small plate alongside.
What food pairs with the Negroni Sbagliato?
Aperitivo classics: olives, taralli, fried artichokes, anchovy crostini, cured meats. Prosciutto with melon or with fresh figs in season. The bubble and bitterness handle salt and fat together. For Malaysian context, the Sbagliato sits well with kuaci (sunflower seeds) or with a plate of pan-fried satay. Lower ABV makes it a daytime food pairing too.