Grapes in your aperitivo are a simple, fresh and surprising idea, perfect for dinner at home, drinks on the terrace or an informal yet elegant summer table. Sweet, crisp and eye-catching, grapes create interesting pairings with cured meats, cheeses, bread, focaccia and refreshing drinks.

Here are 5 must-try ideas for using grapes in your aperitivo and bringing something different to the table.

• Colourful skewers. Grape skewers are practical, pretty and incredibly easy to make: just alternate grapes, cubes of cheese and thinly sliced cured meats. The pairing with cured meats works beautifully, because the sweetness of the grapes balances the saltiness and fattiness of prosciutto, speck, salami or coppa. The result is a fresh, quick finger food, perfect to serve even standing up.
• Sweet-and-sour crostini. Grapes are also perfect on crostini. On a slice of toasted bread, add a soft cheese, a few halved berries and a drizzle of honey. The most interesting pairings are with goat’s cheese, robiola, ricotta, mild gorgonzola or aged cheeses. The contrast between the sweetness of the grapes, the creaminess of the cheese and the crunch of the bread makes the crostino simple yet very refined.
• Refined salads. For a lighter aperitivo, grapes can star in small summer salads. They go very well with rocket, walnuts, grana flakes and extra-virgin olive oil, or with feta, cucumber and mint. Served in little cups or individual glasses, they become a fresh, elegant idea that is easy to offer at a buffet too.
• In focaccia. Grape focaccia is an original and very tasty option. The berries can be worked into the dough or scattered on top before baking, together with extra-virgin olive oil, rosemary and a pinch of salt. The result is a soft, fragrant, slightly sweet-and-sour focaccia, ideal cut into squares and served during the aperitivo. It pairs well with semi-aged cheeses and delicate cured meats.
• Frozen grapes for summer drinks. A striking and practical idea is to use frozen grapes instead of ice. Just wash the berries, dry them and put them in the freezer for a few hours. They chill prosecco, white wine, light cocktails or flavoured water without watering down the drink. Using grapes of different colours, you can create glasses that look beautiful and double as place markers: each guest recognises their own glass and no one loses it during the evening.

Grapes in your aperitivo are an easy yet impressive choice. They add freshness, colour and a sweet-and-savoury contrast that makes every offering more interesting.

With Sant’Ambrogio grapes you can turn an aperitivo at home or on the terrace into a more refined, summery and convivial moment, with ideas that are simple to prepare yet capable of surprising.