The Ve.n.To recipe
according to the IBA specification
Make the honey mix: dissolve honey in an equal amount of warm chamomile tea and let it cool.
Add the grappa, lemon juice, honey mix, chamomile cordial, and optionally a few drops of egg white to a shaker.
Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 12 seconds.
Strain into a chilled small tumbler with fresh ice cubes.
Squeeze a lemon zest over the glass and garnish with two white grapes on a pick.
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The story
Ve.n.To was created by two Italian bartenders, Samuele Ambrosi and Leonardo Veronesi, one from Veneto and the other from Trentino. These two regions are reflected in the name: Ve.n.To is a contraction of Veneto and Trentino, areas where grappa has traditionally been distilled. At the same time, it reads as vento, Italian for wind. The Grappa Revolution project, which aims to promote grappa in bars, was involved in its development. The idea was to give grappa, long regarded mainly as an after-dinner digestif, a place in the modern cocktail bar. The creators built on an old tradition of sweetening grappa with honey and herbs, and wanted to use ingredients from their own region, right down to lemons from Lake Garda. The IBA included it among the New Era Drinks.
The right glass
The IBA specifies a small tumbler filled with ice. Choose a glass of 25 to 32 cl with a heavy base: large enough for ice and approximately 11 cl of liquid, but small enough that the cocktail does not disappear in it. The ice keeps the sour cold and slowly dilutes it, making the grappa smoother as you drink. The wide opening allows you to smell the lemon zest and chamomile properly. View our tumblers.
Eclat Longchamp Tumbler 32 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Aria Tumbler 38 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 63,90.
The right tools
For a Ve.n.To, besides the glass, you need a Boston shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a cocktail strainer, a fine strainer for double straining, and a citrus press. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find them all in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 162,70.
What do you make a Ve.n.To with?
You need liqueur for a Ve.n.To. On every drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The egg white is optional in the IBA specification: a few drops create a soft layer of foam, while leaving it out makes the drink sharper and clearer. If you do not have chamomile cordial, use 3 cl honey mix made with chamomile tea; the drink will be slightly less floral but remain balanced. The Canchánchara from Cuba follows the same idea with rum, honey and lime. Pisco is also a grape distillate, so the Pisco Sour is a logical neighbor.
Serving tip
Make the honey mix and chamomile cordial a day in advance and keep them sealed in the refrigerator; they will keep for about a week. Do not put the grappa in the freezer, as ice-cold grappa loses its aroma. Serve as an aperitif with a piece of Grana Padano or some olives.
Good to know
Ve.n.To recipe: the ingredients at a glance
The IBA specification calls for 4.5 cl young, smooth grappa, 2.25 cl fresh lemon juice, 1.5 cl honey mix, 1.5 cl chamomile cordial and, optionally, a few drops of egg white. The grappa is the base, with a grape aroma and a light herbal character. Lemon provides the acidity every sour needs. The honey mix sweetens and rounds out the drink, while the chamomile cordial adds a floral, hay-like note that pairs well with grappa. The garnish is a lemon zest and two white grapes: a nod to the grapes used to distill grappa.
What is chamomile cordial and how do you make it
In the Italian original, it is called cordiale alla camomilla, a sweet chamomile preparation that is closer to a liqueur than a syrup. It is available ready-made as an Italian chamomile liqueur, liquore alla camomilla. You can also make it yourself. Let 5 grams of dried chamomile flowers steep in 10 cl of grappa for 24 hours, strain through a coffee filter, and mix with 10 cl of sugar syrup. Taste it after straining: chamomile becomes bitter if it steeps for too long, so overnight is better than a week. For instructions on making sugar syrup, see making sugar syrup.
Which grappa should you choose
Grappa is distilled from grape pomace: the skins, seeds, and stems left over after pressing wine. For a Ve.n.To, you want a young, clear grappa, known in Italy as grappa giovane or bianca, that has not been aged in wood. The word morbida or smooth on the label indicates a soft style. An aromatic grappa made from, for example, moscato or traminer adds extra floral notes and pairs well with the chamomile. Avoid aged grappa from a barrique: the wood will overpower the honey and lemon.
Making a honey mixture with chamomile tea
Pure honey is too thick to mix properly in a cold shaker; it clumps around the ice. That is why you dilute it first. Brew a strong cup of chamomile tea using one teabag and 10 cl of water, and let it steep for five minutes. Mix the hot tea with an equal weight of honey and stir until everything has dissolved. Let it cool before using. Choose a mild honey, such as acacia honey, so the chamomile remains noticeable; a dark forest honey will overpower the drink. The IBA also allows water instead of tea.
Ve.n.To with or without egg white
The IBA calls for a few drops of egg white, and that is deliberately a small amount. The aim is not a thick foam cap like on a Whiskey Sour, but a softer texture and a thin white layer. With so little egg white, a dry shake without ice is unnecessary: simply shake vigorously with ice for 12 seconds. If you leave out the egg white, the drink will be clearer and crisper, which many people find especially pleasant with grappa. For a vegan version, use a few drops of aquafaba, the liquid from a jar of chickpeas.
Ve.n.To alongside other sours
All sours follow the same formula: spirits, lemon, and something sweet. In a Ve.n.To, the sweetness is split between honey and chamomile, making it more floral than most. The Bee's Knees also uses honey, but with gin, making it more herbal and drier. The Pisco Sour is the closest relative: it is also made with a grape spirit, citrus, egg white, and bitters. The Amaretto Sour is sweeter and nuttier. Anyone who has never tasted grappa in a cocktail will find the Ve.n.To an accessible introduction.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Ve.n.To?
A Ve.n.To is an Italian sour with grappa, lemon juice, honey, and chamomile cordial, shaken and served over ice in a small tumbler. It appears on the official IBA list as the first cocktail based on grappa. The flavor is fresh, sour, and floral, with a soft honey sweetness.
What does the name Ve.n.To stand for?
Ve.n.To is a contraction of Veneto and Trentino, the two northern Italian regions where the creators come from and where grappa has traditionally been distilled. At the same time, the name reads as vento, the Italian word for wind. That is why it is simply pronounced vento.
Can you make a Ve.n.To without chamomile cordial?
Yes. Replace the 1.5 cl chamomile cordial with another 1.5 cl of honey syrup made with chamomile tea, giving you a total of 3 cl of sweetener. The drink will be slightly less floral and a little rounder, but will remain balanced. If you want a stronger chamomile flavor, steep the tea for the honey syrup for ten minutes.
Which grappa do you use for a Ve.n.To?
A young, clear grappa that has not been aged in wood, known in Italy as grappa giovane or bianca. Soft styles, sometimes labeled morbida, work best. An aromatic grappa made from moscato or traminer pairs well with the chamomile. Aged grappa is too oaky for this fresh sour.
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