Sarti Rosa is the new one. Unlike the classic anise-flavored Sarti Sambuca, which traces back generations, Sarti Rosa is a genuinely modern addition to the lineup from Casa Luigi Sarti & Figli, the Bologna distillery that’s been making spirits since 1885. The liqueur itself first launched across European bars and restaurants in the summer of 2023, then moved into retail for home consumption not long after.
It’s now part of Campari Group’s portfolio, sitting alongside Campari, Aperol, and Crodino as the newest addition to that lineup, and it only made its UK debut in March 2025, arriving there already established across other European markets. That timeline makes Sarti Rosa about three years old as of now, young enough that most bars pouring it are still figuring out what to do with it.
Locally, it’s already found a home, even if the menu hasn’t caught up yet. Renny’s Bar & Grill in Preston Forest Village recently started carrying Sarti Rosa, so new that it isn’t printed on the drink menu, but it’s reportedly moving fast anyway, word of mouth and a bartender’s recommendation doing what the menu hasn’t gotten around to yet. It’s an early sign that Dallas drinkers are taking to the fruitier, less bitter direction it takes compared to a standard Aperol spritz. Worth asking for by name next time you’re in.
The color is the first thing anyone notices, an intense pink with a subtle purple shimmer that photographs as well as it pours. The flavor comes from three fruits working together: Sicilian blood orange for tang, mango for tropical richness, and passion fruit for a bright, tart edge, with rose and raspberry notes filling in behind them. Where Aperol leans on orange bitterness and Campari leans hard into bitter herbs, Sarti Rosa leads with fruit and florals instead, keeping any bitterness firmly in the background. It comes in at 14 percent alcohol, light enough to drink through a whole afternoon without the night getting away from anyone.
That makes it an easier entry point than a traditional Italian aperitivo for anyone who’s found Campari or Aperol too sharp. It’s built for sipping before a meal, but it mixes easily enough that it works just as well as an all-afternoon backyard drink.
The official Sarti Spritz is the place to start: three parts Prosecco, two parts Sarti Rosa, and a splash of soda water over ice, finished with a lime slice. It’s the brand’s own formula, and it’s built to be a crowd drink, easy enough that a table of people can all agree on ordering it.
For something simpler, a straight Sarti Rosa Highball works well: Sarti Rosa over ice, topped with soda water or tonic, and a wedge of orange or lime. It lets the blood orange and passion fruit carry the whole drink without competing with anything else.
For a longer, more citrus-forward pour, try Sarti Rosa with fresh grapefruit juice and a top of soda water, poured over ice in a tall glass. The grapefruit’s bitterness plays well against the liqueur’s sweetness, and it reads more like a proper cocktail than a spritz shortcut.
Sarti Rosa isn’t trying to replace the house’s classic sambuca, and it isn’t trying to out-bitter Campari either. It’s aiming at something different: an aperitivo built for people who want the ritual and the color without the bite. With Renny’s already pouring it and moving through bottles quickly, it’s a good bet this won’t stay a niche pick in Dallas for long.
