Aperol Spritz

Ideal for sipping away a summer afternoon, the Aperol Spritz, a mix of sparkling wine, soda water and Aperol (an Italian aperitif flavored with bitter orange, rhubarb and gentian), first rose to popularity in the 1950s, but the original spritz is more than a century older. During the Habsburg occupation of Venice in the early 1800s, the soldiers found the Northern Italian wine to be too strong. So they added a “spritzen” of water to dilute it. As the spritz grew in popularity, so did its variations, including the now iconic Italian aperitivo, the Aperol Spritz. Campari—which acquired Aperol in 2003—says 300,000 Aperol Spritz cocktails are consumed per day in the Veneto region alone, and if that many Italians are wrong, we don’t want to be right. As a far more complex brunch alternative to the Mimosa, we’re waiting for the day Aperol Spritzes are served in bottomless pitchers.

Aperol Spritz

FLAVOR PROFILE
Bitter, Sweet
STRENGTH
DIFFICULTY
easy

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 oz Aperol
  • 3 oz Prosecco
  • Soda
  • Orange Slice

INSTRUCTIONS

Step one

Pour the Prosecco and Aperol into a wine glass and add ice.

Step two

Top with a splash of soda water and mix with a bar spoon.

Step three

Garnish with an orange slice.

Contributed by Supercall

Mix It Up!

Adding an ounce of a fruity liqueur, or a half ounce of flavored syrup, is a great way to play around with an Aperol Spritz for different occasions. Try a rose petal syrup for a floral aperitivo, or a stone fruit liqueur—like peach or apricot—for a springtime sipper.