Chinotto: What Is It?

Italy’s National Drink(?)

If you have visited Italy, chances are, you’ve seen a dark soda with the name “chinotto.” Or, one of the more common brands, such as San Pellegrino’s Chinotto or Neri’s Chin8 (as 8 is pronounced “otto” in Italian).

So, what is a “chinotto”?

Photo by author.

Chinotto is the fruit of the myrtle-leaved orange tree or bitter orange tree. The fruit itself is about the size of a tangerine. It’s far too sour and acidic to eat on its own, so like many other fruits that are either too high in tannins or don’t taste very good alone, Italians decided to mix it with sugar.

According to historians, the name “chinotto” derives from “China”. But since all citrus is imported from China, I don’t think anyone is sure how this fruit became known as “chinotto” while lemons got “limone.” Italian merchants began to import the chinotto towards the end of the 16th century, early 17th century, mainly to the Liguria Rivera, along Italy’s north-west coast.

It just so happens that the brand in the picture is from the Liguria region, which also happens to be famous for its chinotto.

Was it always a drink?

In fact, it wasn’t. During the Belle Epoch, it would have been common to have candied or syrupy chinotto on a plate, to eat…