Costiera d'Oro

Sun-drenched cliffs, salt air, and limoncello dreams.

This cocktail bottles the magic of a July afternoon on the Amalfi Coast — blazing sun, cool sea breeze, and the scent of lemon groves cascading down cliffsides. Bright limoncello and fresh lemon juice deliver that signature Amalfi citrus punch, while Aperol lends a sun-kissed golden-orange glow and gentle bitterness. A splash of Prosecco lifts everything with the same effervescence as waves breaking against limestone rocks, and a hint of basil syrup ties it to the wild herbs that perfume the terraced hillsides.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz limoncello
• 0.75 oz Aperol
• 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
• 0.5 oz fresh-squeezed blood orange juice
• 0.5 oz basil simple syrup (see note)
• 2 oz chilled Prosecco
• Large ice cube or ice sphere
• Pinch of flaky sea salt (for rim)

Instructions

1. Make the basil simple syrup: Combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, and a large handful of fresh basil leaves in a saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes, steep 20 minutes off heat, then strain and chill.
2. Prepare the glass: Run a lemon wedge around half the rim of a large Copa glass and dip it in flaky sea salt to create a half-salt rim. Add a large ice cube.
3. Combine limoncello, Aperol, fresh lemon juice, blood orange juice, and basil syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
4. Shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until well-chilled and slightly frothy.
5. Fine-strain the mixture over the large ice cube in the prepared glass.
6. Top gently with chilled Prosecco — pour slowly over the back of a spoon to preserve the bubbles.
7. Garnish with a long, expressed lemon twist (run it around the rim before placing), a fresh basil sprig tucked alongside the ice, and an optional edible flower for color.