There are few cocktails easier to make than the Aperol Spritz. And while the refreshing and effervescent drink might elicit thoughts of sitting in a hot Roman square on a summer’s day, it’s also the perfect wintry drink — especially if you’re in apres-ski mode.
The crux of an Aperol spritz is, of course, the Aperol. The Italian bitter is a floral and fruity apéritif that focuses on rhubarb, cinchona, and gentian (the latter being flowers) with a sweet edge. It’s sort of like the softer, more floral, and sweeter version of Campari. In fact, you can easily replace the Aperol in this recipe with Campari if you’re looking for a bolder and more bitter-leaning kick.
The rest of the drink is light and bubbly prosecco (a simple Italian sparkling white wine) and some sparkling water. And when we say it’s easy to make, we’re not kidding. You can follow the three, two, one pouring method right into the glass to make these.
That’s really it, so let’s get right into it!
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Aperol Spritz
Ingredients:
- 3 oz. prosecco
- 2 oz. Aperol
- 1 oz. sparkling water
- Ice
- Orange slice
Aperol is the must-have ingredient in this mix. Again, Campari is just as common around Italy in spritzes, so if you have some around definitely give that a shot too.
As for the prosecco, you’ll want to lean more towards the dry side of things since the Aperol is bringing plenty of sweetness to the mix. Mionetto Prosecco Brut is always a solid pick that you should be able to find pretty easily.
Lastly, there’s the sparkling water. I like sticking with the Italian vibe and using San Pellegrino. It’s a little sharper / mineral-y than the average fizzy water and works well when mixed with the wine and bitters.
What You’ll Need:
- Wine glass
- Jigger
- Barspoon
Method:
- Fill the glass with ice.
- Add the prosecco and sparkling water then top with Aperol. Give it a small stir. (If you don’t have a jigger and you don’t want to be overly exact, pour each ingredient using the 3, 2, 1 count — count to three pouring the prosecco, two for the Aperol, and one for the sparkling water)
- Slice a thin orange wedge and drop in the glass. Serve.
Bottom Line:
This slaps right now. All those sweet florals and light bitter notes really do transport you to that ski slope somewhere in the Italian Alps. It’s so light and, well, breezy while still holding enough flavor punch to feel like you’re actually drinking something.
The combination of sparkling water and sparkling wine ups the ante on the fizziness of the drink without going overboard. It’s sort of like a tickling in the back of your throat, which is a nice sensation for such a simple cocktail.
Overall, the low-alcohol content (about the same as a glass of wine) means that these go down very easily. So, hell, pour yourself two and watch the snowfall or ready yourself to re-hit those slopes.