According to Regione Campania, Fragolino is an old speciality found across the region, otherwise known as a strawberry rosolio. That double name already hints at what the glass holds: fruit turned into a small, ceremonial drink rather than a table wine, something kept for after a meal or a quiet pause.
What draws the eye first is a pleasing dark red, then a sweet flavour that matches the colour. It is a liqueur, usually around 35 percent alcohol, so the sweetness is not thin or watery; it has enough body to linger, the kind of sip that feels both familiar and a little festive.
The method is simple and patient. Fresh wild strawberries are left to macerate in alcohol, and that steeping can last from two days to ten. Time does the work: the fruit gives up colour and perfume, and the spirit takes on the character that makes Fragolino worth seeking out.