Ingredients
A revived 1930s house recipe of around twenty-five botanicals, with colour coming from beetroot and botanical extracts rather than synthetic dye.
- ✦Gentian root
- ✦Bitter orange peel
- ✦Rhubarb root
- ✦Cinchona bark
- ✦Wormwood
- ✦Cardamom
- ✦Ginger
- ✦Beetroot (for colour)
History of the Brand
Contratto was founded in Canelli in 1867 as a sparkling-wine house and spent decades making vermouth and bitters alongside the bubbles.
The bitter recipe lapsed mid-century and was revived in 2011 from the house's 1930s formula books.
The relaunch arrived exactly as bartenders started looking for Campari alternatives without artificial colouring, and Contratto Bitter became a favourite for Negronis with a rounder, spicier profile.
It is bottled at 22% ABV, a touch below Campari, with noticeably more ginger and rhubarb.
Tasting Characteristics
Blood orange, rhubarb, ginger and a faint earthiness.
Bright citrus bitterness, less sweet than Campari, with cardamom and ginger heat building.
Dry, spicy and long.
Flavor meter
How to serve it
- 01In a Negroni in place of Campari, for more spice and less sugar.
- 02With soda and an orange slice as an Americano-style aperitivo.
- 03In a spritz with prosecco.
- 04In a Cardinale or Contessa for a drier aperitivo hour.
Where to Get It
Widely available in Europe and the US through cocktail-focused retailers.
Bottle shops
Usually shelved with Campari and other red bitters.
Online spirits retailers
Broad availability across the EU, UK and US.
In Piedmont
Sold at the Contratto cellars in Canelli.
Where to buy Contratto Bitter
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Contratto Bitter FAQ
Can Contratto Bitter replace Campari?
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Yes, one for one. Expect a drier drink with more ginger and rhubarb spice and less candied sweetness.
Is it artificially coloured?
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No — its red comes from beetroot and botanical extracts.
What proof is it?
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22% ABV, slightly below Campari's 24–25%.