We tasted the Fumagalli aperitif, and we’re not here to tell you whether it’s better or worse than its competitors—even though we know that’s what you’d love to read from us, especially. Instead, we’re here to tell you that good old Edo, the Vita family, and Giovanni Ceccarelli have done a great job, and above all, they had fun doing it.
IT’S STILL ORANGE
The color is that color—the one that conveys conviviality, that colorful wave making you want to get together, to share a moment in simplicity. That simplicity happens to be one of RITA’s core values: a simplicity made of authentic, high-quality things. Which is exactly what a product should be when you taste it: AUTHENTIC.
"Our mission is to bring the aperitif back to its most authentic essence, built on simplicity, quality, and conviviality. We’ve created a balanced, versatile Aperitivo designed to accompany the Spritz and every shared moment—without excess."
A DREAM
We chatted with Edo sitting at the bar counter at Rita. For those who have never had this experience, we recommend doing it—and doing it alone—because Rita is one of those places you can visit even without company, as the venue itself becomes your companion for the evening. Through those chats, between one Fumagalli Spritz and the next, what emerged was passion, sacrifice, and the drive to create something good, real, and genuine. Because if you decide to put your name and soul into a project like this, you have to do it fully aware of the consequences—there’s no room for error.What we can say is that when you try this Spritz, the first thing that hits your nose is mandarin—that feeling of freshness and naturalness.
"On this, I’d say we at Rita have always been very proactive and ready to shake things up. Movement is life, and stagnation is my natural enemy. Given Rita’s experience in serving aperitifs, nurturing the dream of producing a Bitter Aperitivo that truly represented us was almost automatic. Fumagalli is the expression of this need and our desire to keep moving forward. Thanks to the Vita Family—my partners in this project—and Giovanni Ceccarelli, we had a lab at our disposal for the long incubation period of this product, which is simple and complex all at once. The result is an aperitif that leaves no doubts and stands as a solid alternative to mainstream products."
MR. BONAVENTURA
The label is amazing, we have to admit. It sticks in your mind; you look at the bottle and think back to the old RITA uniform—which, in our opinion, they should bring back, but knowing Edoardo and his team, we’re sure they’re already working on it. That label brings you back to a character: Mr. Bonaventura, an imaginary comic book character created in 1917 by Sergio Tofano and published by Corriere dei Piccoli until 1978. Obviously, we’re not old enough to have experienced it firsthand, but that’s general knowledge.
ZEROGALLI
In a historical moment where giant multinationals lay off hundreds of employees as if playing bowling with people’s lives, Edo and his partners intercepted the NO-ALCOHOL trend and decided to launch two products on the market: Fumagalli and Zerogalli. This move targets a market segment representing a real part of the bar industry’s future. Like a sly old fox (Edo, don't take offense, it's a genuine compliment), he rides the wave of what will certainly be the future of the bar industry, but he does it with a solid product—a product that speaks for itself.
"Zero alcohol is a mistreated category, far too neglected by venues that struggled to pass along the message of a non-alcoholic cocktail as something interesting and satisfying. COVID and the recent demonization of alcohol have created a more conscious, mindful generation of consumers; as a result, the epicenter has shifted, and asking for a non-alcoholic cocktail no longer triggers shame or mockery. Venues capable of creating and interpreting this category have finally been able to work in this direction and unleash their creativity to deliver increasingly satisfying booze-free drinks. From my point of view, the industry hadn't produced enough alcohol-free products with a truly stimulating aromatic profile. Aperitivo Zerogalli fills that void by offering the same aromatic package as Fumagalli, but in a Zero version. Aside from the non-negligible fact of being delicious, it features dealcoholized wine. On an aromatic level, this ingredient supports acidity much more naturally than acid preservatives, allowing you to create a real non-alcoholic Spritz simply by adding soda. It’s a genuine asset for anyone wanting to offer a modern, contemporary selection. Furthermore, the product performs exceptionally well in mixology—a total wildcard."
Like Spaghetty Western, we are always drawn to anything that breaks the mold. Many of you will say it's just another aperitif on the market. Maybe that's true, but our question to you is: why didn't you do something different?
The product deserves to be tasted. Edo and his partners spent a year working behind this project, testing up to 90 samples until they crafted the product that truly reflects who they are.
"We believe in a new Italian lifestyle: spontaneous and accessible. A way of living where every occasion becomes the right one to say: 'let’s meet for an aperitif.'"
