Spritz
Prosecco, a light orange aperitivo and a splash of soda over ice. Bittersweet, bright orange and low in alcohol.
- MethodBuilt
- GlassLarge wine glass
- IceCubes
- Strengthabout 8.5% ABV
- BaseWine & aperitivo
- Tastebitter, refreshing, fruity
Recipe
| 90 ml 3 oz | Prosecco |
| 60 ml 2 oz | Light orange aperitivo (about 11%) |
| Top up: 30 ml 1 oz | Soda water |
Garnish. A half wheel of orange in the glass; in Venice, a green olive on a pick is just as common.
Method
- Fill a large wine glass with ice.
- Pour in the prosecco first, then the orange aperitivo.
- Top with a splash of soda water and stir once, gently.
- Add the orange slice.
About the Spritz
The Spritz is the aperitivo of the Veneto: sparkling wine, a bitter orange aperitivo and soda over plenty of ice. The common modern version is bittersweet and fruity, with notes of orange and rhubarb, light in alcohol and easy to drink in the afternoon. Three parts prosecco to two of aperitivo and one of soda is the widely used ratio.
History
Documented
The name comes from the German "spritzen", to splash. In the 19th century, when the Veneto was part of the Austrian Empire, Austrian soldiers and officials were in the habit of lengthening the local wine with water and later soda water, and the wine-and-soda spritz became part of daily life there. In the early 20th century bars began adding bitter aperitivi, and each city settled on its own. The light orange style was launched by a Padua firm in 1919, and from the 1950s that brand's marketing promoted the spritz built on it; a large advertising campaign in the 2000s made that version known worldwide.
Legend and lore
Accounts that name a particular bar or person as the creator of the aperitivo spritz are not backed by records; the drink grew up gradually across the region.
Disputed or unclear: The date at which bitter aperitivi first went into the spritz is not well documented; the 1920s is a common estimate.
Variations
- Spritz with red bitter aperitivo. A stronger, more bitter red aperitivo in place of the light orange one, the Venetian bar standard.
- Hugo. Prosecco with elderflower, mint, lime and soda, from the South Tyrol.
- Americano. Bitter aperitivo and sweet vermouth with soda, no wine.
- Bellini. The other great Venetian prosecco drink, with white peach.
Bartender's notes
- Pour the prosecco before the aperitivo; the heavier liquid then mixes itself and you need hardly stir.
- Use a lot of ice; a half-empty glass melts fast and the drink goes thin.
