It is the impossible-to-pronounce Italian word that is on everyone’s lips in line at the bar – or, more likely – while making do with what’s in the fridge. “Sbagliato” – meaning “bungled” or “mistaken” – has suddenly become the all-important addendum in ordering a negroni.
A negroni sbagliato is simply a negroni mixed with prosecco in place of the traditional gin, yet on Google Trends, which shows global search interest over time, there was a seismic spike on 5 October.
The origins of the trend can be identified with unusual precision: a namecheck by actor Emma D’Arcy. In a video to promote House of the Dragon, posted to HBO’s TikTok account, D’Arcy, who is non-binary, is asked by co-star Olivia Cooke about their favourite cocktail. They give the instantly iconic response: “Negroni sbagliato – with prosecco in it.” Italian, spoken by a Briton, has never sounded better.
