# Bergamot Spritz Challenge Entries Italicus Launches Art of Italicus Aperitivo Challenge 2026 By Kanesa David | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-03-25 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/art-of-italicus References: [thespiritsbusiness](https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2026/03/art-of-italicus-aperitivo-challenge-returns-for-2026/) & [rosolioitalicus](https://rosolioitalicus.com/)  [Italicus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/italicus-and-savoia) Rosolio di Bergamotto has reopened its Art of Italicus Aperitivo Challenge for 2026, inviting [bartenders worldwide](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/home-away) to reconceive the Spritz. The 10th-anniversary edition calls for [Spritz-style serves](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spritz-del-conte-hugo-spritz) featuring a minimum of 40 ml Italicus and no more than five ingredients, with creativity drawn from art, design or culture. National heats will be held across participating markets — including China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Spain, the UK and the US — with six shortlisted bartenders per country advancing to judged finals. Entrants must submit recipes, photos, measurements and inspiration by 15 May 2026, and Italicus will offer monthly social Q&A sessions to support submissions. A global winner will be named Italicus Bar Artist of the Year 2026 and receive a mentorship with Giovanni Allario plus a spot in London’s September anniversary finals. The contest spotlights low-ABV cocktail innovation and positions Italicus as a driver of contemporary aperitivo creativity for bars and drinkers. Image Credit: Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.5/10 - Popularity: 2% | Activity: 3% | Freshness: 70% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Drinking](https://www.trendhunter.com/drinking) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Low-abv Cocktail Innovation:** A shift toward lower-alcohol Spritz-style serves is creating space for new flavor-forward formulations and micro-dosage spirit products that alter consumption occasions. - **Aperitivo Reinvention:** By framing the Aperitivo as a contemporary cultural moment tied to art and design, bartenders and brands are expanding drink rituals beyond traditional Italian precedents. - **Cocktail-as-art Competitions:** Growing emphasis on judged, creative cocktail contests is elevating bartending as a form of performative craft and generating premium content and IP around signature serves. ### Where This Applies - **Beverage-alcohol Manufacturing:** Brand investment in distinctive, low-ABV liqueurs and ready-to-serve aperitivo blends is poised to disrupt shelf categories and supplier relationships. - **On-trade Hospitality:** Hospitality venues focused on experiential aperitivo programming are redefining evening socialization norms and capturing higher-margin beverage spend. - **Events and Experiential Marketing:** Brand-led global competitions and mentorship-driven finales are transforming promotional campaigns into long-form content and talent pipelines for category storytelling. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Cocktail-Themed Holiday Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aperolidays.md) - [Large-Scale Apéritif Activations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/summer-of-spritz-campaign.md) - [Summer-Ready Apertivo Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apertivo-campaign.md) - [Non-Alcoholic Botanical Spritzes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sparkling-botanical-aperitivo.md) - [Immersive Aperitivo Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/official-spritz-partner.md) - [Vibrant Italian Aperitivo Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/italicus-and-savoia.md) - [Wine Window-Inspired Cocktail Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aperol-festive-spritz-window.md) - [Ready-to-Pour Vermouth Spritzes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vermouth-spritz.md) - [Co-Branded Botanical Aperitivos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/botivo-x-ottolenghi.md)