Spritz recipes

Here are some alternative Spritz recipes, including the most used version with Aperol. Fill the glass with plenty of ice to prevent your cocktail from diluting. Many believe the opposite, but plenty of ice keeps your drink cold for a long time, and a little ice melts faster.

Spritz Aperol

Preparation time: 5 minutes

• Fill the white wine glass with ice
• Pour 3 parts of sparkling wine (Prosecco, Traditional o Charmat Method sparkling wine etc.)
• Add 2 parts of Aperol (6cl)
• Complete with a part of Seltz or Soda (3cl) and stir quickly
• Garnish with a slice of orange

Being a lover of quality products, I always choose ingredients maniacally, including untreated fruit.

Spritz Campari

If you prefer less sweet drinks, do it with Campari only. The recipe is identical; it requires using Campari instead of Aperol and lemon zest instead of orange, but you can use both.

Spritz Aperol and Campari

Preparation time: 5 minutes

• Fill the white wine glass with ice
• Pour 3 parts of sparkling wine (Prosecco, Traditional Method sparkling wine etc.)
• Add one part of Aperol (3cl) and one part of Campari (3cl)
• Complete with one part of Seltz or Soda (3cl) and stir quickly
• Garnish with a slice of orange and/or lemon peel.

The following recipes are the variations that only provide for the replacement of Aperol with another liqueur. Here are the alternatives:

• Limoncello Spritz (with Limoncello liqueur)
• Arancello Spritz (with Orange liqueur)
• Mandarinetto Spritz (with Tangerine liqueur)
• Honey Spritz (with Fermented Honey liqueur)
• Vermouth Spritz 
• Pink Spritz, of which there are many versions: with Rose liqueur, Pink Grapefruit Liqueur, Pink Elderberry Flowers and Berries Syrup, Pink Gin etc. You can also use a rosé wine or a Prosecco Rosè, the type born recently.
• Chamomile Spritz (using Chamolile liqueur and garnish with dried flowers or fresh ginger)

The versions are innumerable, just change a liqueur, and you have obtained a particular and fascinating Spritz that you can also name a house speciality. I recommend looking at the selection of liqueurs on Tooscans (www.tooscans.it), which offers a choice of high-quality products.

If you are attentive to the line, try the White Wine Spritzer:

• Fill the white wine glass or rather high-ball with ice
• Pour 180 ml dry white wine (or 2/3 of the glass)
• Top with a part of Seltz or Soda, stir quickly
• Rub the lemon zest around the edge of the glass and garnish with it

The Hugo Cocktail comes in numerous versions, and I propose a fairly classic one and one with St-Germain.

Spritz Hugo

• Fill the white wine glass with ice
• Pour 6 cl of sparkling wine (Prosecco, Traditional o Charmat Method sparkling wine etc.)
• Complete with a part of Seltz or soda (6 cl)
• Add the elderflower syrup (or liqueur) (3cl), stir quickly
• Add 4 fresh mint leaves

Any ingredient will change the taste of your Spritz, even the type of mint you will use. For example, the original recipe uses Melissa officinalis syrup, but elderberry is more readily available. Likewise, someone uses sparkling water instead of Seltzer or Soda.

I love the more sophisticated version with St-Germain and Traditional Method sparkling wine such as Champagne or Italian Trento DOC, Alta Langa, Franciacorta, Oltrepò Pavese etc. Anyway, for this cocktail, I use only the simplest ones. On the other hand, a complex Traditional Method sparkling wine aged for a long period on the lees, I prefer to taste it alone and without masking it with other flavours. In any case, I never use trivial ingredients.

Spritz St-Germain

• Fill the white wine glass or highball glass with ice
• Pour 6 cl of sparkling wine (Prosecco, Traditional or Charmat Method sparkling wine etc.)
• Complete with a part of Seltz or soda (6 cl)
• Add the St-Germain liqueur syrup (4cl)
• Stir and add 4 fresh mint leaves and garnish with a lime wedge.

I like a fine slice of fresh ginger for contrast instead of lime, which I rub around the rim of the glass.

Photo from the St-Germain official website

Non-alcoholic spritz

Today there are many non-alcoholic products, including de-alcoholic wines, to create your own utterly alcohol-free Spritz and ready-to-drink (or RTD) versions. Sometimes I wonder how people always drink just the Aperol Spritz version. I like to change, experiment, and explore new flavours. Let me know your interpretations and ideas.

Photo from Lyre’s official website

Read also Cocktail glasses types

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