If, like me, you’re a fan of Fernet Branca.….or perhaps Campari (more likely), then you’ll want to try Chinotto, a pungent and refreshing soda drink from the San Pellegrino folks.

I tried some with lunch at Gabriella the other day and found this intriguing drink to be almost magically refreshing. Yes, it’s a bit bittersweet—with a foundation of myrtle orange, the same prime ingredient in Campari. Actually, it starts out sweet, flirts with becoming a blend of coke and rootbeer, but then finishes with a crisp, almost citrusy tang.

But there’s much more going on in what tastes a lot like coca-cola, bitter oranges and a few mysterious sassafrasy and root top notes.

It’s quite delightful. And fun to say. Chinotto.