Giuseppe Gallo launches Rosolio Italicus

Giuseppe Gallo has launched his revival of the forgotten Rosolio category by announcing his new liquid, Italicus, Rosolio di Bergamotto, working closely with award-winning creative agency Stranger & Stranger. Launching to an exclusive portfolio of on-trade accounts, Guiseppe is leading this revival in London, Milan and New York City.

Remaining faithful to the historic origins of Rosolio, the original Italian aperitivo once enjoyed by the King of Savoy, Italicus has been in development for almost a year and is masterfully created using a recipe which dates back to the late 1800s. So popular was Rosolio in the 19th Century that each of Italy’s regions had their own distinctive variations - enjoyed as the aperitivo of the people.

Italicus’ unique bottle, designed by Stranger & Stranger, pays tribute to Italy’s exquisite history and heritage, as well as the incredible native flavours found across the country’s 20 regions. The iconic stopper features a renaissance style Bacchus harvesting bergamot and is framed by the shape of a bergamot fruit cross-sectioned. The black and white surround colouring of the cap is inspired by Italian gothic architecture, while the colour of the glass is inspired by the Grotta Azzura in Capri and the clear waters of the Amalfi Coast; where Giuseppe spent his childhood peeling fruit beneath bergamot trees to make Rosolio with his mother.

 

The logo, presented as an icon on top of the stopper depicts Bacchus posed like Leonardo da Vinci’s Virtuvian man harvesting local bergamot, encompassed by the irregular shape of the fruit – referencing Rosolio’s renaissance credentials. Every element of the bottle design has been curated to encapsulate the stripped back elegance and charm of Italy.

Rowan Miller, design director for Stranger & Stranger says: "From the initial briefing it was clear we needed to create something authentic and iconic to evoke the essence, elegance and charm of Italy. Italicus is a multifaceted product, not about one place or one period. So we encompassed this nature through the design: we use a colour palette that evokes the Mediterranean; blue glass blends with yellow liquid creating an aqua marine of the Amalfi coast; the green hues of bergamot and lush landscape set against the gold of an Italian sun. Just as an Italian cathedral is filled with many different styles from different eras, our final pack design is a balanced mix of Italian harmony and beauty.”

13 September 2016 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editorial assistant