Italian Spritz cocktail recipe

Few drinks capture the Italian idea of aperitivo better than a Spritz.

Bright orange, lightly bitter, sparkling, and refreshing, it’s the drink that marks the end of the working day and the beginning of conversation.

Whether standing at a bar in Venice or sitting in a sunny piazza somewhere else in Italy, chances are you’ll see dozens of orange glasses gently clinking together around six o’clock.

Italian Spritz cocktail in a glass

A DRINK BORN TO SLOW DOWN

The origins of the Spritz go back to Veneto.

According to tradition, Austrian soldiers stationed in the region found local wines too strong and began asking for them to be gespritzt—”sprayed”—with a little sparkling water.

Over time, bitter liqueurs such as Aperol, Select, and Campari entered the glass, creating what has become one of Italy’s most iconic cocktails.

It’s impossible to look at a Spritz without immediately thinking of summer evenings, friends, and aperitivo.

Aperol Spritz with prosecco in a glass and orange slices

THE SECRET IS THE ORDER

Making a Spritz is wonderfully simple.

The only real secret lies in the order of the ingredients.

Prosecco goes first.

Then Aperol (or Campari or Select).

Finally sparkling water.

Because the liqueur is denser than the wine, pouring the Prosecco first allows the bubbles to begin mixing the drink naturally, preserving its sparkle without excessive stirring.

It’s one of those tiny Italian details that quietly make all the difference.

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Aperol Spritz cocktail recipe

Course Drinks
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1
Author Claudia Rinaldi

Ingredients

  • 2.5 fl oz Prosecco 7.5 cl
  • 1.7 oz Aperol, Campari, or Select 5 cl
  • 0.8 fl oz sparkling mineral water, soda, or Seltz 2.5 cl
  • a slice of orange

Instructions

  1. Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice.

  2. Pour in the Prosecco. The Prosecco goes first because the Aperol, Select, or whatever you chose contains more sugar, is more dense, and consequently, if poured first, would remain on the bottom and stratify the drink. The bubbles in the Prosecco instead, besides making it lighter, automatically start mixing the ingredients, sparing you from the incumbency. Also, because the less you mix, the more sparkling your drink is.

  3. Pour in the Aperol or else and finally the seltz or sparkling water.

  4. Serve with the orange slice on the side of the glass.

The Aperol Spritz first appeared in Southern Summer Simposio, where it accompanies long evenings, seaside aperitivi, and the slow rhythm of an Italian summer.

Enjoy your Spritz.

Claudia