Spritzes · Aperitivo · IBA official
Aperol Spritz
Bittersweet orange and prosecco bubbles over ice, the Veneto way
Prosecco, Aperol and a splash of soda over plenty of ice. Bittersweet orange and rhubarb notes meet crisp bubbles in a light, gently bitter, low-alcohol drink. Made for long aperitivo hours, outdoor tables and salty snacks.
- Glass
- Wine glass
- Ice
- Ice cubes
- Technique
- Built in the glass
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 2 min
- Strength
- ≈ 8% ABV
Ingredients
- 90 mlProsecco3 oz
- 60 mlAperol2 oz
- 30 mlSoda waterto top1 oz
- GarnishOrange half-wheel
≈ 194 ml served · 1.3 standard drinks
Substitutes: Champagne (brut) can stand in for Prosecco.
Method
- 1
Fill a wine glass with ice cubes.
- 2
Pour in the prosecco, then the Aperol.
- 3
Top with a splash of soda water and stir once, gently.
- 4
Garnish with an orange half-wheel.
History
The spritz habit is usually traced to Austro-Hungarian soldiers stationed in the Veneto in the 19th century, who asked for a splash (spritzen) of water to soften the local wine. Aperol was launched by the Barbieri brothers in Padua in 1919, and its pairing with prosecco and soda became the region's signature aperitivo in the decades that followed.
- Origin
- Veneto, Italy
Bartender's notes
- Pouring the prosecco first lets the denser Aperol sink and mix on its own – one gentle stir keeps the bubbles.
- Keep everything cold: warm prosecco foams over and melts the ice fast.
- Swap the Aperol for Campari for the drier, more bitter spritz many Venetian bars prefer.
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