Aperol Spritz

Why you are pouring this tonight

You could argue the Aperol Spritz was invented in a Venetian piazza in 1919. You could also argue it was invented in 2017 by Instagram. Both are true. It is the most photogenic drink of the last decade, and also one of the most functional, and the Italians have been drinking it before dinner for a hundred years for a reason.

Aperitivo is a specific Italian trick. You drink something bitter, low-alcohol and bubbly, alongside a few salty small things, about an hour before dinner. The bitterness wakes your appetite. The bubbles cleanse. The salt gets you thirsty. By the time dinner arrives you are slightly buzzed, slightly hungry, and fully delighted. Australia has enthusiastically adopted this. We just usually skip the snacks.

The rule for the Spritz is simple: right glass, right ratio, right snack plate. Everything else is vibes.

What you need

90 ml Aperol. The standard pour is generous. Aperol is only 11 percent alcohol, so three parts Aperol is not as punishing as it sounds. Campari works and gives you a significantly more bitter Spritz. Select Aperitivo (the Venetian original) is harder to find but worth chasing.

90 ml dry prosecco. A DOC prosecco from the Veneto is the classic. An Australian sparkling wine made in the Charmat method (like Dal Zotto or Brown Brothers Prosecco) is excellent and keeps it local. Do not use Champagne, it is too dry and too expensive for this role.

30 ml soda water. Not tonic. Soda. The Spritz needs a clean splash of fizz, not a second bitter element.

A large balloon wine glass. Filled to the top with ice. The glass is half the drink. Do not make a Spritz in a wine glass. It looks sad.

Garnish: a fat wedge of orange. Green olives on a toothpick are traditional but optional.

The snack plate: this is not the drink but it is part of the drink. A small bowl of green olives, a little Ortiz anchovy on a piece of grilled bread, a few crisp grissini, some shaved parmigiano. Six minutes of prep. Non-negotiable for the full experience.

How to make it

Fill the glass with ice. Right to the top. A big balloon glass holds a lot of ice, which is what you want.
Pour in this order. Aperol first, prosecco second, soda third. The 3-2-1 ratio of Aperol to prosecco to soda is the Italian standard, but the easy version is equal parts of the first two and a splash of the third.
Do not stir, or stir only once. A quick folding motion with a bar spoon, one lift. Over-stirring kills the fizz. Most of the mixing happens when you add the soda.
Garnish. Thick wedge of orange pressed into the glass (it floats, catches the light, looks magical). Olives on a toothpick if using.
Put the snack plate next to it. Eat and drink in alternation. Do not drink the Spritz alone without food or you will wonder what the fuss is about.

Dinners that pair with this

What to cook when this is in the glass.

Antipasti board

Prosciutto, olives, bread, salty cheese. The Spritz is the pre-dinner standard.

Burrata with peach and prosciutto

Summer on a plate. The Spritz matches every element.

Margherita pizza

Light tomato, mozzarella, basil. Works even better with a spritz.

Seafood linguine

Bright seafood needs bright drinks. Orange peel carries the lemon on the pasta.

Tomato bruschetta

Textbook. The spritz drinks like summer, bruschetta tastes like summer.

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Three variations worth knowing

Same frame, different paint.

Campari Spritz

Swap Aperol for Campari. More bitter, darker, more serious.

Hugo Spritz

Prosecco, elderflower liqueur, mint, lime. Delicate, floral, northern Italian.

Limoncello Spritz

Prosecco, limoncello, mint, soda. Lemon-forward, unapologetically summer.

Bottles worth buying for this

One 700 ml bottle of Aperol is about $40 and makes roughly 8 Spritzes. Cheapest cocktail hour in town.

Prosecco: a good Australian sparkling like Brown Brothers Prosecco or Dal Zotto at $20 to $25 a bottle is perfect. Save the actual Italian Prosecco DOC for drinking straight.

Cocktails, Recipes