Born from the rebranding of the historic Amaro Santoni, Santoni l’Aperitivo is a tribute to the heritage and traditions of the Chianciano Terme distillery.
The Roots of the Santoni Family in Chianciano Terme
A red brick arch, broad and open against the sky, marks the threshold to the old streets of Chianciano Terme. Heading out of town, that same architectural gesture becomes a kind of living border, separating the Tuscan hills from the country roads that lead to the Gabriello Santoni distillery, now the production heart of Famiglia Santoni, where a faded 1970s sign still reads: “fabbrica Rabarbaro.” In 1961, Gabriello Santoni opened his distillery in his beloved Chianciano, dedicating his life — alongside his wife Franca and their children, Stefano and Emanuela — to research and an enduring passion for botanicals.
That same distillery, later reimagined by Stefano, now welcomes a renewed vision for what he calls the “Guests of Nature,” his term for those who pass through its doors. It was within that landscape that the rebranding of Amaro Santoni was unveiled, now presented in a contemporary guise and relaunched as Santoni l’Aperitivo. Here, heritage has a precise address, a founding date, and a clear family lineage. Stefano Santoni inherited a way of thinking deeply rooted in place, along with the clarity to bring it into the present.
Santoni l’Aperitivo and the Role of Rhubarb
The story begins at the root, in the most literal sense. Rhubarb — a botanical both demanding and resilient — serves as the axis around which Santoni l’Aperitivo is told, firmly within the category it has belonged to since its original debut. Rhubarb remains the center of gravity, surrounded by a bouquet of 33 additional botanicals, including citrus, rose, iris, and olive leaf, building a layered complexity that unfolds on both nose and palate. A restrained 16% ABV leaves room for each nuance to emerge.
The Bottle Design Inspired by Florence
Santoni l’Aperitivo does not rewrite its past; it makes it easier to read: the new bottle, designed by Stranger & Stranger, is a three-dimensional tribute to Florence — not the version shaped by Airbnb rentals and overtourism, but the city of craftsmanship that built its reputation across centuries. The red glass body, another nod to rhubarb, features vertical fluting and flat faces inspired by the semi-columns of the Baptistery of San Giovanni. A textured white cap recalls Apuan marble. The label draws from the quatrefoil motifs of the Baptistery’s South Doors, the 14th-century bronze landmark that still stands watch over Piazza del Duomo. It is a carefully considered piece of design, where every choice carries a fragment of history.
The Contemporary Vision of Santoni l’Aperitivo
At a moment when aperitivo culture is increasingly associated with lightness and fast consumption, Santoni l’Aperitivo continues to embrace simplicity, while offering something richer to those willing to pause and pay attention: a product with roots, shaped by a tangible place.
The article first appeared on Coqtail – for fine drinkers. Order your copy here
In partnership with Amaro Santoni
Photo courtesy Amaro Santoni
