At a recent event full of intriguing cocktails, what excited me most was a glass of VioVi blood orange juice. Its deep color foreshadowed the robust flavor, better than other blood orange juices I’ve tried. While I can envision the juice as part of a great sangria or cocktails like a mimosa, this is a beverage I’m happy to savor on its own.

I asked Giuseppe Mascarella, former Microsoft manager and now President and CEO of O’Biolla, maker of the blood orange juice, for the secret to the success of the juice. He cited “a secret blend of pure Sicilian Sanguinello, Moro and Tarocco oranges which are not genetically manipulated.”

Mascarella should know. He basically has blood orange in his, well, blood, telling me, “I am the third generation of a family of blood orange growers.” He grew up listening to his grandfather’s conversations on secret techniques for grafting trees. Mascarella explained that the quality color and flavor of the blood oranges are a result of hundreds of years of perfecting grafting techniques, adding, “The secret is like the Coca Cola recipe, but it belongs to an entire community of Sicilian growers and their kids.”

He is passionate about bringing VioVi (full of antioxidants, and effective in combating heart attacks, strokes, obesity, and even aging) to the United States, boasting its health benefits. But I like it because it’s tasty. Expensive, yes (it’s currently available at Whole Foods Market, PCC, Central Market, and Metropolitan Market), but worth every sip.