Ingredients
- 3 oz Prosecco
- 2 oz Aperol
- 1 oz Soda Water
Instructions
Add Ingredients:
- Add Prosecco, Aperol, and soda water to a large wine glass.
Fill with Ice:
- Fill the glass with plenty of ice.
Stir Briefly:
- Stir briefly to combine the ingredients.
Garnish:
- Garnish with a slice of orange.
Serve:
- Serve immediately and enjoy your refreshing Aperol Spritz.
Video
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Spritz dates back to 1800s Austrian-occupied Veneto, where soldiers diluted the local white wine with soda water (a ‘spritz’ from the German for splash). The Aperol version came later: Aperol launched in 1919 in Padua, Italy, but the Aperol Spritz as we know it took shape in the 1950s and went global in the 2010s after Campari Group bought Aperol and pushed it hard.
By 2018 the Aperol Spritz was the most-Instagrammed cocktail on the planet. The orange colour and the wine glass are made for sunlight.
What it tastes like
Bittersweet orange and rhubarb up front from the Aperol, dry sparkling wine in the middle from the prosecco, light fizz on the finish from the soda. Refreshing rather than heavy, light at 11% ABV.
Drinks like a sundowner that wants you to keep going. Three is normal. Four is brunch.
The technique
3-2-1: three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, one splash of soda. Build in the glass over plenty of ice (a wine glass, not a flute – the aroma needs the surface area).
Pour in this order: ice first, prosecco second, Aperol third, soda last. Pouring Aperol over ice before the prosecco causes the colour to streak unevenly. Stir gently with the bar spoon, garnish with a thick orange slice.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
Aperol
- What it is
- An Italian aperitivo, 11% ABV, made from a proprietary mix of bitter orange, rhubarb, gentian, and cinchona. Launched in Padua in 1919.
- Why we use it here
- It is the colour, the bitterness, and the orange-rhubarb signature. No real substitute.
- Drink Lab pick
- Aperol original. There is only one.
- Substitute
- Campari for a darker, harder-hitting Spritz (different drink, same idea).
Prosecco
- What it is
- Italian sparkling wine made from Glera grapes, mostly in Veneto. Brut or Extra Dry are the right styles for a Spritz.
- Why we use it here
- It carries the fizz, the dryness, and the structure. Cheap supermarket Prosecco is fine here.
- Drink Lab pick
- Whatever your local bottle shop has under $15. La Marca, Bottega, or any DOC Prosecco.
- Substitute
- Cava (Spanish) or Cremant (French) work. Avoid Asti or Moscato – too sweet.
Variations
The spritz family is wide. Six worth ordering.
What if I don’t have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Cava or any dry sparkling wine. Avoid sweet bubblies.
Campari makes a stronger, bitterer Spritz. Select Aperitivo gives you the same idea with a slightly different profile.
Skip it. The drink is fine without.
Lemon wedge works at a stretch. The orange is mostly aromatic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in an Aperol Spritz?
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Why is the Aperol Spritz served in a wine glass?
What does an Aperol Spritz taste like?
Can you make an Aperol Spritz without prosecco?
What is the best ratio for an Aperol Spritz?
How many calories are in an Aperol Spritz?
What is the difference between an Aperol Spritz and a Hugo Spritz?
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