This summer, the spritz everyone is reaching for has a twist.
Zoncello, the bottled limoncello spritz from Zonzo Estate in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, has become one of the country’s most talked-about summer drinks. Pour one and it’s easy to see why. It’s bright, zesty and not too sweet, and it takes no mixing at all. Simply chill the bottle, add ice, and you’re on the Amalfi Coast. Or as close to it as a backyard in Adelaide will get you.
A limoncello spritz with a family story
Zoncello started with a recipe. Zonzo Estate founder Rod Micallef learned to make limoncello in his early 20s, alongside a friend and his friend’s father. Decades later, that recipe became the base for the estate’s house-made limoncello liqueur, and then for the spritz.
The limoncello is made in winter, the estate’s quietest season, from the rind of locally grown, unwaxed Yarra Valley lemons. The rind is steeped in a spirit made from fermented grapes, a by-product of winemaking, and finished with Australian sugarcane and filtered rainwater.
“Great things take time, and that’s why limoncello is so special,” Micallef has said.
How to serve Zoncello
The spritz blends that house-made limoncello with sparkling wine. It comes in 750ml bottles at 9 per cent alcohol, and in 200ml cans at 8 per cent, which are handy for picnics and the beach.
Zonzo suggests serving it well chilled over ice, with a slice of fresh lemon and a sprig of mint. It’s an easy aperitivo before a long lunch, and it works just as well with antipasto, grilled prawns or a plate of fresh oysters on a hot evening.
A summer success story
Zoncello has been a runaway hit. Zonzo reports selling more than a million bottles in a single year. Micallef once said he hoped it might one day be “as big as Aperol”. On a busy summer weekend, that doesn’t seem like much of a stretch.
Part of its appeal is sheer ease. There’s no measuring, no mixing, no hunting for prosecco to top it up. You open a bottle, pour over ice, and you’re done. For those who love to entertain but prefer to spend more time with guests than behind the bar, it’s a revelation.
Where to buy Zoncello in Adelaide
Zoncello is available at Dan Murphy’s and BWS stores across South Australia, and online through Zonzo Estate’s website.
Keep a bottle in the fridge for when friends drop by. It’s bright, refreshing and easy to like: everything a summer spritz should be.
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