Italian · Cocktail
Aperol Spritz
Three, two, one. Three parts Prosecco, two parts Aperol, one splash of soda, poured in that order over a glass packed with ice.
Photo: Valeria Boltneva / Pexels
Ingredients
- 3 oz La Marca Prosecco
- 2 oz Aperol
- Splash of club soda
- Orange slice, to garnish
Method
- Fill a large wine glass to the top with ice. More ice than you think.
- Pour the Prosecco in first, then the Aperol on top of it.
- Add a splash of soda and stir once, gently.
- Drop in an orange slice. Drink it outside if at all possible.
The one thing that matters
Order matters more than measurement. Aperol first and it sinks and stays there, so the last mouthful is syrup while the first was fizzy water. Prosecco first and it lifts the Aperol up through the glass on its own.
About this drink
It's an aperitivo, which means it's meant to be drunk before dinner to make you hungry. That's what the bitterness is for. At around eleven percent Aperol is gentler than most cocktails, which is why Italians drink them at six in the evening and still eat afterwards.
Use more ice than feels reasonable. A spritz in a half-empty glass goes warm and flat in about four minutes. Fill it to the top and the drink stays cold to the last sip.
A big wine glass is the right shape, not a flute. You want room for the ice and room for the smell of the orange.
If you find Aperol too sweet, use Campari instead and brace yourself. Same build, much more bitter, and the color goes from orange to properly red.
Serve it with olives, potato chips, salted almonds, cured ham. Anything salty. Nobody has ever improved on that combination and plenty have tried.
