By Rick Riozza
About a dozen years ago or so, just before the spritz—particularly the Aperol Spritz—became the rage all over the U.S., we were in Vienna Austria where the Aperol Spritz was simply commonplace. Even the Viennese teenagers had their spritzes all sprawled colorfully on the tables. No big deal—alcoholic or not, it’s a typical Austrian beverage.
And it seems that there is a culinary explanation that the “spritz cocktail” is generally considered an Italian concoction. So what is it: Austrian or Italian? Wel—we can reconcile the whole thing by this AI explanation below:
“So what is a spritz, anyway? Hailing from Northern Italy (where Prosecco is produced), the spritz was created by Austrian soldiers who found they needed to dilute the wines of the region to resemble the alcohol levels of the beers they were used to drinking back home. “Spritz,” which means “splash” in German, is a nod to the fact that they’d add a splash of club soda to their Prosecco. With the additions of popular bitter liqueurs called amaro (like Campari, Aperol, and Cynar), the spritz was born, and the rest is (boozy) history.”
So the “spritz” is a refreshing, low-alcohol wine cocktail commonly served as an apéritif. It is traditionally built over ice in a wine glass by combining sparkling wine (Prosecco), a bitter or herbal liqueur, and a splash of soda water, typically garnished with a slice of citrus.
Some say the spritz is the ultimate summer cocktail—refreshing, bubbly, bitter-sweet, that can whisk you to a feeling that you’re on vacation—probably somewhere on the Italian coast, during aperitivo hour. In other words—it all works to make you happy and feeling special.
And spritzes work because they’re wine-based and, again, a naturally low-ABV cocktail that doesn’t require any crazy ingredients or tricky proportions, and are endlessly designable depending on what you’re eating or the surrounding weather.
The publication Delish capsulizes the story here: All you have to do is remember your spritz ABC’s and 123’s: 3 hits Amaro (bitters) + 2 hits bubbly (Prosecco) + 1 hit of soda. Cheers!
Delish goes on: “Depending on how you like your cocktails, there’s a spritz for everyone. Love bitter, herbal flavors? Campari (which is on the more bitter end of Italian aperitifs) is the key to a Campari spritz, or, run with a Negroni—just just add Prosecco to get a sbagliato (which in Italian means you’re going the wrong way—fun!)
“Want something floral and sweet? Try limoncello spritz, or a poolside popsicle spritzer; the Hugo Spritz swaps in elderflower liqueur for the traditional amaro. Perhaps you want to keep the good vibes going into fall and winter? Try the apple cider spritz or the cranberry-Aperol spritz, which more than prove that Aperol pretty much improves everything.
Of course there are some mocktail spritzes that everyone can enjoy: Grapefruit-rosemary mocktail or the blood-orange mocktail for those January alcohol abstaining promises.
Here are some examples of both styles. If you need more concocting details just type them in on Google or whatever—you readers know better than me:
Campari Spritz
Everyone knows of the Aperol spritz, but move over—there’s a new spritz in town! The Campari spritz—bubbly, bitter, and very refreshing—is the perfect drink for a leisurely pre-dinner hang or happy hour with friends. With just 5 minutes and 5 ingredients, you can have this cocktail in hand ASAP.
Limoncello Spritz
This limoncello cocktail will transport you to Italy after just one sip. Garnish with a slice of fresh lemon and some fresh basil for herby, Italian vibes, and you’ve got yourself the perfect summer cocktail.
An Americano In Paris
This drink is the illegitimate love child of a classic and a French apero; an Americano with an accent that is ready to transport you to the river Seine on a crisp Parisian evening. Add the adorable orange peel heart-shaped garnish, and you’ve got a drink that will take you to the city of love after just one sip.
Aperol Spritz
The famous one: an Aperol is a bright red bitter liquor made with flavorful, herbal ingredients that give it a distinct taste that might remind you of burnt orange and tart rhubarb. After hearing those flavor notes, it’s probably immediately obvious why, when paired with Prosecco and a bit of soda water, it makes an amazing cocktail to drink for spring and summer.
Piña Colada Spritz
Some days we want a Piña Colada but we don’t want to get out the blender. For these times, may we suggest the delightfully effervescent and very easy piña colada spritz? It’s fast, fuss-free, and still hits all the right notes.
Bee’s Knees Mocktail Spritz
This Bee’s Knees mocktail spritz, inspired by the gin-based classic drink, has lemon, a sweet honey syrup, and is topped off with club soda. Here, we add a fresh garnish of lemon peel and sugared rosemary for a mocktail you’ll want to make all year long.
Blueberry Jam Gin Spritz
Imagine a late summer afternoon, sipping on a delightful beverage that not only quenches your thirst but also brings a burst of fruity goodness. The spritz combines sweet and tart blueberry jam with an herbaceous kick of gin and bright citrus notes, making it an incredibly well-balanced drink.
Coconut-Pineapple Spritz
Craving a tropical vacation? No matter the time of year, one sip of this coconut and pineapple spritz will transform your mindset right to a tropical beach or beautiful sunny day.
As one can tell—the spritz goes on and on somewhere. Cheers!
