Cocchi Heaven at The Baglioni’s Brunello Bar

Nothing bids winter farewell more defiantly than enjoying a spritz on a veranda, so as the sun finally shone over Kensington Gardens last week Belle seized the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon of Cocchi.

Cocchi (pronounced cock-y) is a line of aromitised wines from Italy. The multi-awarded Italian vermouth and aperitivo producers have teamed up with London’s iconic Baglioni Hotel to create a series of new, quintessentially Italian Spritzes and Negronis loaded with vibrant fruits, floral notes and aromatic botanicals.

Cocchi X Baglioni at Brunello Bar celebrates spring in a cocktail glass.

Taking inspiration from the landmarks of Giulio Cocchi’s life, head bartender Alexandre Vient has created six delicious aperitivo cocktails, all priced at £15, including Spritzes and By Way of Negroni cocktails using Cocchi Americano, Cocchi Rosa and Cocchi Vermouth di Torino.

We seated ourselves at the showpiece central bar and ordered a Spritz D’Asti and Piazza Alfieri. The former felt summery and fresh, using Cocchi Americano infused with jasmine and kumquat, topped with lemon juice and elderflower tonic, and dressed with a basil shrub. The fragrant basil hits the senses before you’ve even enjoyed a sip, and blends perfectly with the citrusy drink. The moe compact Piazza still packed a punch but didn’t have the wow factor of the first drink.

Next up was the Il Rosso created using Cocchi Rosa, rhubarb and vanilla tea, rhubarb bitters and Prosecco. If our first drink felt like summer then this was a week in the Mediterranean. Refreshing, tart, full of flavour and oh-so-easy to drink, this may well be our drink of the summer.

Other offerings include a popular La Rosa which blends Cocchi Americano with pomelo juice, grapefruit bitters and a hibiscus infusion, and other Negroni-like concoctions containing fresh ingredients and premium spirits.

Tapas-style canapés were served to our seats and included lightly battered anchovies, a moreish arancini, and a sharing plate of fritti dishes. One word of caution – if you’re vegetarian, double check with your server what is contained and make sure you point out what you can’t eat.

There’s also a bar snack menu offering light bite wraps and sanwiches as well as salads and burgers, to keep you going as you make your way through the impressive Cocchi list.

Elegant and stylish but not-at-all stuffy, Brunello Bar offers a sanctuary from the chaos and crowds of Kensington High Street. With a pianist in the corner and affable staff, the venue is a prize find for Londoners looking to enjoy innovative aperitifs in luxury surroundings.

• Brunello Bar at The Baglioni Hotel, 60 Hyde Park Gate, Kensington, London SW7 5BB.