The Aperol Spritz Cocktail

Cool, colorful refreshment for hot summer days (and nights)

Need a long, tall sipper that’s not too boozy? Just conjure up an Aperol Spritz (aka Spritz Veneziano).

It’s one of the world’s most popular cocktails. And why not? The Aperol Spritz is super refreshing, with a bright, tingly flavor.

It makes an excellent aperitif. And, because it’s low on alcohol, the Aperol Spritz lets you hold off the heat all afternoon long.

Just call it the summer tamer.

Recipe: The Aperol Spritz Cocktail

The Aperol Spritz combines Prosecco with Aperol liqueur, adding a splash of sparkling water to top things off. It’s easy to make – and even easier to drink.

You can actually make a “spritz” with many different combinations of wine and liqueur. In all cases, you probably want to remember the 3:2:1 ratio. That’s 3 parts wine (Prosecco in this case), 2 parts liqueur (Aperol for this drink), and 1 part sparkling water.  As easy as 3, 2, 1.

This recipe takes about 5 minutes to prepare and serves 1.

Ingredients

• 3 ounces Prosecco or other sparkling Italian white wine
• 2 ounces Aperol
• 1 ounce soda or seltzer water (or a bit less if you prefer; see Notes)
• orange wedge or wheel as garnish (optional, but recommended; see Notes)

Procedure

1. Add ice to a large wine or rocks glass. Add all ingredients except garnish.
2. Give the drink a quick stir to combine the ingredients. Add garnish, if desired, and serve.

Notes

• What’s Aperol? It’s an Italian liqueur with somewhat bitter flavor – sort of like a lighter version of Campari. In Italy, it’s usually served as an apéritif (often on the rocks). 
• Prosecco is a light Italian bubbly wine named after the village of Prosecco. It’s made primarily in the Veneto area (Venice being the best-known city in the region). Prosecco bubbles usually don’t last as long as those in Champagne, and it often is a bit sweeter. 
• What brand of Prosecco to use? There are many available, and every wine dealer seems to stock a different selection. We generally just ask our wine merchant for a recommendation.
• How much sparkling water to use in this drink? We opt for about an ounce. In part, that’s because its bubbles keep going long after those from the Prosecco fizzle out. And also because the Aperol Spritz is meant to be a light-bodied drink. So an ounce of sparkling water – which is a bit more than a “splash,” in our estimation – strikes us as just the right amount.
• Garnish is optional for this drink, but we recommend using it. The flavors of orange and Aperol combine very nicely. We serve the drink with garnish on the rim. Then, right before drinking it, we drop the orange wedge into the cocktail so the flavors combine.

Half a Bubble Off Plumb

“Refreshing!” said Mrs. Kitchen Riffs. “Air conditioning in a glass.”

“And bubbly too,” I said. “Just the sort of wine that appeals to you.”

“I do like fizz,” said Mrs K R.

“Which is why it’s rarely boring around here,” I said.

“Hey, shall we play a round of Prosecco roulette?” said Mrs K R. “I’ll just give this bottle a little shake.”

Maybe not. Sometimes boring is better.

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