Imbibe... EURO APERITIFS

POP YOUR CORK AND TRANSPORT YOURSELF INSTANTLY TO THE CONTINENT’S chicest spots

Stop! Step away from the negroni… There’s a new wave of delicious, must-drink aperitifs heading our way from Europe, so give your drinks cabinet an on-trend makeover and try the following (though maybe not all at once).

First up, the Piscine – a favourite in the south of France – is a goblet (a large one, given the name means swimming pool) packed with ice cubes, then topped up with champagne. Fans include Margherita Missoni and actor

Bill Murray, who says, ‘Champagne can never be too cold.’ Leaving Provence behind, the aperitif du jour is Picon: caramel-coloured and bittersweet, with an orange flavour. It traditionally accompanies half pints of lager on a pretty paved square in northern France before dinner. Or join the Andalusians in Spain and try a Rebujito – fino sherry mixed with lemonade – or a She & T (sherry and tonic), best served with salty almonds and olives. Over the border in Lisbon, locals are sipping shots of Ginja, a sour cherry brandy. And take note: chic Italians are replacing the Aperol and Campari with their lesser-known cousins – Cynar, an artichoke-based bittersweet liqueur perfect for a spritz, and Amaro Nonino, a herbal liqueur best served after dinner, over ice. Cin cin!