Venice, Italy

Spritz

Also known as Aperol Spritz, Spritz Veneziano, Spritz Campari, Select Spritz, Sgroppino

A low-alcohol, bitter-sweet bubbly drink built right in the glass over ice.

bittersweetfruitycitrusbubblyrefreshinglow-alcoholaperitiforangerhubarb

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip hits with a sharp, bitter bite from the aperitivo, quickly softened by a rush of sweetness and bright citrus. The prosecco adds a light, fruity fizz that lifts the heavier flavors. It finishes dry and slightly bitter, with the soda water cleaning up the sticky sweetness.

Who will like it

This is for people who like bitter-sweet, low-alcohol drinks they can sip on for a while without getting knocked out.

When to drink

Drink this in the early evening as an aperitif, or anytime during the day when you want something cold and refreshing but not too strong.

Ordering tip

If you find the standard Aperol Spritz too sweet, ask the bartender to swap the Aperol for Campari or Select for a drier, more bitter edge.

Ice: CubedTemp: ColdCost: $2–$5Glass: WineBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

A Spritz is a bright, bubbly, and very refreshing drink that leans heavily into sweet and bitter territory. It's light on alcohol, making it easy to drink over a long afternoon, but the bitter aperitivo keeps it from tasting like flat fruit juice. The bubbles and ice make it incredibly crisp, and the orange garnish adds a fresh citrus smell every time you take a sip. It's not a complicated or challenging drink, just a cold, fizzy, bittersweet refresher.

Finish: The finish is short and dry, with a lingering bitter-orange note that cleans the sweetness off your tongue.

Primary tastes

bittersweetfruity

Secondary

floralearthy

Aroma

orange zestrhubarbbitter herbs

Bitternessmoderately bitter
The aperitivo gives a clear bitter bite that balances the sweetness but doesn't overwhelm the drink.
Sweetnessfairly sweet
The liqueur and prosecco bring a lot of sugar, making this a noticeably sweet drink even with the bitter edge.
Sournesslow acidity
There's a tiny bit of acidity from the wine and citrus, but it stays in the background behind the sweet and bitter notes.
Refreshingvery refreshing
Packed with ice, bubbles, and a light body, this is one of the most cooling, thirst-quenching drinks you can make.
Complexitystraightforward
It tastes exactly like what it is—bitter liqueur and bubbly wine—without deep layers to dig into.

Recipe

Make it at home

Built · Wine · equal parts on Aperitivo Liqueur. Aperol is the standard; Campari or Select work too

Before you start

Chill your wine glass in the freezer for a few minutes if you have time, and make sure your prosecco and soda are cold from the fridge.

Ingredients

Aperitivo LiqueurLiqueurAperol is the most common choice60ml
ProseccoWineAny dry or extra-dry prosecco90ml
Soda WaterSodaPlain unflavored club soda30ml
Orange SliceGarnishHalf-wheel or thin slice1 slice

Garnish: Orange slice

Tools

Wine glass · Serving
The traditional large-bowled glass for serving a Spritz
At home: Any large stemmed glass or a sturdy tumbler
Jigger · Measuring
Measuring the aperitivo and prosecco so the drink isn't too sweet or too weak
At home: A small measuring cup or shot glass
Bar spoon · Mixing
Giving the drink a gentle stir to mix without killing the fizz
At home: A long teaspoon or chopstick

Steps

1
Take your wine glass and fill it to the top with ice. Big cubes are better because they melt slower and keep the drink from watering down too fast.
!Using crushed ice, which melts immediately and dilutes the drink.
2
Pour 60ml of your aperitivo liqueur, like Aperol, directly over the ice. The bright red liquid will pool at the bottom of the glass.
!Free-pouring without measuring, which usually makes the drink far too sweet.
3
Top the aperitivo with 90ml of prosecco. Pour it slowly so it doesn't foam up and spill over the rim of the glass.
!Pouring the prosecco too fast and overflowing the glass.
4
Add 30ml of soda water to top it off. This adds a little extra fizz and cuts some of the sweetness from the liqueur.
!Skipping the soda water, which leaves the drink overly sweet and flat.
5
Take your bar spoon and give the drink a gentle stir—just two or three rotations to pull the red liqueur up through the wine and soda. You'll know you're done when the color looks even from top to bottom instead of separated into layers.
!Stirring too aggressively, which flattens the bubbles and makes the drink go flat.
6
Tuck an orange slice right into the ice on the side of the glass. Give it a little squeeze over the drink first if you want a hit of fresh citrus oil on top.
!Dropping the garnish in without squeezing the oils, missing out on the fresh aroma.

Serve

Serve it right away while it's still icy and the bubbles are popping. Don't let it sit out, or the ice will melt and the drink will taste like flat, sweet soda.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Aperitivo Liqueur

Aperitivo LiqueurCampari
Match
Common availability
Aperitivo Liqueur → Campari: Makes the drink much more bitter and less sweet, with deeper red color and more herbal bite.
Aperitivo LiqueurSelect Aperitivo
Match
Specialty availability
Aperitivo Liqueur → Select Aperitivo: Adds a drier, more floral and slightly sharper bitter note compared to Aperol.
Aperitivo LiqueurCynar
Match
Specialty availability
Aperitivo Liqueur → Cynar: Brings an earthy, vegetal, artichoke-like bitterness that makes the drink far less fruity.

Swap options for Prosecco

ProseccoCava
Match
Common availability
Prosecco → Cava: Adds a slightly toastier, yeastier note and crisper acidity compared to the fruity prosecco.
ProseccoChampagne
Match
Common availability
Prosecco → Champagne: Makes the drink richer and more structured with sharper bubbles and a chalkier finish.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Campari Soda

Campari Soda drops the prosecco entirely, making it a simpler, drier, and more intensely bitter drink.

Match

Campari Soda is a stiffer, more austere bitter refresher, while the Spritz is softer and fruitier thanks to the added wine.

In common: bitter aperitivo base, low ABV, built over ice, Italian origin

Ingredients

Both share

Aperitivo Liqueur, Soda Water

Only in Spritz

Prosecco, Orange Slice

The Spritz adds prosecco and an orange garnish, bringing fruity sweetness and complexity that the bare-bones Campari Soda lacks.

Flavor

Shared flavors

bitter-sweet backbone, refreshing chill, dry finish

How Campari Soda differs

drier, sharper, less fruity, no bubbles from wine

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Negroni

The Negroni is a strong, stirred, short drink with gin, while the Spritz is a weak, built, long drink with prosecco.

Match

A Negroni hits you with heavy gin and rich vermouth, while the Spritz keeps things light and fizzy with a fraction of the alcohol.

In common: bitter-sweet profile, Italian origin, aperitif style

Ingredients

Both share

Aperitivo Liqueur

Only in Spritz

Prosecco, Soda Water, Orange Slice

Only in Negroni

Gin, Sweet Vermouth

The Negroni swaps the bubbly wine and soda for gin and sweet vermouth, turning a light refresher into a potent, spirit-forward sipper.

Flavor

Shared flavors

bitter-sweet backbone, orange notes, herbal undertones

How Negroni differs

much stronger, denser body, more complex, no fizz

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Americano

The Americano uses sweet vermouth instead of prosecco, giving it a richer, darker, and more herbal flavor.

Match

The Americano feels richer and more grounded from the vermouth, whereas the Spritz is lighter and fruitier from the prosecco.

In common: bitter-sweet profile, low ABV, built over ice, Italian origin

Ingredients

Both share

Aperitivo Liqueur, Soda Water

Only in Spritz

Prosecco, Orange Slice

Only in Americano

Sweet Vermouth

The Americano replaces the fruity, bubbly prosecco with sweet vermouth, shifting the drink from a bright refresher to a darker, more aromatic sipper.

Flavor

Shared flavors

bitter-sweet balance, refreshing soda lift, citrus notes

How Americano differs

darker flavor, more herbal, less fruity, heavier body

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The Spritz originated in the Veneto region of Italy during the Austrian occupation in the 1800s, when Austrian soldiers diluted local wine with water—a 'spritz.' The modern bitter-spritz formula using Campari or Aperol and prosecco emerged in the early 20th century, though the exact bartender or bar that first combined them is disputed.

Era: 1920s
IBA: Contemporary Classics
Data version: IBA contemporary classic spec
Confidence

The IBA lists the Aperol Spritz specifically with a 3-2-1 ratio (prosecco, Aperol, soda). Regional variations across Italy use different aperitivos like Select or Campari.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Chill the prosecco and soda in the fridge before making the drink.
Use large ice cubes so the drink doesn't water down too fast.
Squeeze the orange slice over the glass before dropping it in for extra aroma.
If it tastes too sweet, add another splash of soda water to cut the sugar.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Don't use cheap, overly sweet prosecco or the drink will be cloying.
Don't stir hard or you'll flatten the bubbles and ruin the fizz.
Don't let the drink sit around; drink it while the ice is still solid.