Vergnano Cioco Liqueur
Vergnano Cioco is an Italian artichoke amaro — "Cioco" is short for carciofo, artichoke — a Cynar-style bittersweet liqueur at 16.5% ABV in a 750mL bottle, made by Fratelli Vergnano of Piedmont since the house's recipes were first handed down. Raw artichoke, bitter orange, wormwood, raisins, rhubarb, and gentian root are infused into a molasses-derived neutral spirit: velvety, bittersweet, and built for the after-dinner hour. Available to order online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 16.5% (33 proof)
- Size: 750mL (per 2020 importer sheet; 2025 sheet lists 700mL — label read pending)
- Style: Italian artichoke (carciofo) amaro — same category and ABV as Cynar
- Production: raw artichoke (cynarin is the bitter compound), bitter orange, wormwood, raisins, rhubarb, gentian root in molasses-derived neutral spirit + molasses, infused a proprietary time period
- Origin: Piedmont, Italy — Fratelli Vergnano, founded 1865 by Bartolomeo Vergnano; today led by Valter Vergnano (third generation)
Not Chocolate — Artichoke
The name fools people: "Cioco" looks like chocolate, but it derives from carciofo — artichoke. The Vergnano family, founded in 1865 by Bartolomeo Vergnano with "a keen interest in alchemy and knowledge of Italian botanicals," built this amaro on raw artichoke's bitter compound cynarin, backed by bitter orange, wormwood, raisins, rhubarb, and gentian root in a molasses-derived spirit. Tasters do note a faint chocolatey note in the bitter finish — espresso and chicory too — but this is an amaro, not a dessert liqueur. Wine Enthusiast gave it 95 points (2023) and the Beverage Testing Institute 94 points and Gold (2019). An Ultimate Spirits Challenge judge called it "perfect after dinner." See more Vergnano or explore the liqueur collection.
Tasting Notes
Mahogany color; aromas of tangerine, saffron, orris root, ginger, cola, stewed plums, cinnamon, and lemon balm. Velvety and bittersweet, with milk-chocolate-covered nuts, espresso, and chicory in the finish.
How to Enjoy
Serve slightly chilled as a digestivo after dinner — the traditional role — or hand it to an intrepid bartender: it slots into amaro cocktails wherever Cynar would go.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Vergnano Cioco made from?Raw artichoke, bitter orange, wormwood, raisins, rhubarb, and gentian root infused in a molasses-derived neutral spirit, at 16.5% ABV.
Is Vergnano Cioco like Cynar?Yes — same category and same ABV (16.5%): an Italian bittersweet artichoke-based amaro, served as a digestivo or in cocktails.
Does Cioco contain chocolate?No. Despite the name, it is not a chocolate liqueur — "Cioco" derives from carciofo (artichoke). Tasters do note a faint chocolatey note in the bitter finish.
Bittersweet artichoke, Piedmont tradition — order Vergnano Cioco online at Del Mesa Liquor.