Even casual and occasional drinkers should be familiar with the “spritz”, a wine-based cocktail that originated in Italy, just like many other cocktails. The background of the spritz is that it actually originated in Venice, back when Italy was part of the Austrian Empire.
This is because the Austrian Spritzer was a white-wine and soda combination, and the spritz eventually evolved throughout the years. Possibly the most celebrated spritz, the Aperol Spritz is known as an “aperitif”, meaning that is a cocktail typically enjoyed before or after a meal. Aperol specifically is an aperitif made of bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb, cinchona, and other ingredients. Aperol was created in 1919, and took some time to gain some popularity – but exploded by the 1950s, which was when the Aperol Spritz first became popular.
Ingredients:
- 3 parts prosecco
- 2 parts Aperol
- 1 part soda water
- Ice
Preparation:
- Pour ice in a wine glass
- Add the prosecco
- Add the Aperol, and
- cap it all off with the soda water. That’s it!
Equipment:
- Wine glass
The beauty of the Aperol Spritz is that it is just as easy to make as it is to drink, which is why it’s the perfect aperitif – because you can mix up one quickly before a meal as a pre-appetizer, or after a meal as a nice way to cap off a hearty meal. It doesn’t hurt that the Aperol is a beautiful drink with a vibrant orange color, which will only make you want to enjoy more than one. Drink responsibly, and garnish with an orange wedge to add a little flavour!