Spritz

Ingredients

The drink

• 60 mlprosecco, well chilled
• 40 mlAperol
• a splash of soda water

To garnish

• 1 sliceof orange
• or 1 green olive, for a bitterer version

To serve

• plenty of ice cubes
• a large wine glass

Directions

1. Keep the prosecco in the refrigerator until the moment you pour.
2. Warm prosecco loses its bubbles the instant it hits ice.
3. Chill the glass as well if you have room for it. Building the drink takes under a minute of work.
4. Fill a large wine glass completely with ice cubes. A generous amount of ice keeps the drink cold and slows dilution.
5. Pour the prosecco over the ice first of all. Pouring the wine first stops the bitter sinking to the bottom.
6. Add the Aperol next and let it fall through the wine. Top it with a short splash of soda water.
7. Stir it once, gently, with a long spoon. Serving it is done immediately while it is cold and fizzing.

Technique

• The International Bartenders Association lists the drink as Spritz Veneziano with prosecco, Aperol and soda.
• In Venice itself the spritz is more often made with Select, and the choice of bitter varies from city to city across the Veneto.

Substitutions

• Any dry sparkling wine works in place of prosecco, though a very dry cava or champagne shifts the balance.
• A non-alcoholic version can be made with a bitter orange soda topped with sparkling water, which is not the same drink but follows the same idea.

Variations

• The Campari spritz is much more bitter and noticeably stronger.
• The Select spritz is the Venetian standard.
• A spritz bianco uses white wine and soda with no bitter at all, closer to the original soldiers’ drink.

History

Habsburg soldiers in Venetia diluted local wine with water, from spritzen, to splash; Aperol, made in Padua from 1919, later replaced the water.

Frequently asked questions

What is Spritz?

Spritz is a cocktail from Italy: aperol or Campari with prosecco and soda, Venetian aperitivo. Habsburg soldiers in Venetia diluted local wine with water, from spritzen, to splash; Aperol, made in Padua from 1919, later replaced the water.

How long does Spritz take to make?

Spritz takes 3 minutes of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes 1 glass. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Spritz?

Yes, within limits. Any dry sparkling wine works in place of prosecco, though a very dry cava or champagne shifts the balance. A non-alcoholic version can be made with a bitter orange soda topped with sparkling water, which is not the same drink but follows the same idea.