No. 01

Prosecco CocktailsAperol Spritz

Veneto, 1950s

3Prosecco

2Aperol

1soda

Three parts Prosecco, two parts Aperol, one part soda1, over plenty of ice in a big wine glass. Finish with a slice of orange.

By Michael Goldstein · 6 min read

The recipe

Wine glass · over ice

Drinks

Pour it

3 ozBella Principessa Goldchilled
2 ozAperol
1 ozSoda watera splash, not a top‑up
1 sliceOrangeor a green olive, in Venice
Plenty of ice

Poured with the Gold, our Brut: the classic Aperol Spritz. Swap in the Rosé, our blush Prosecco DOC Rosé, also Brut: softer on the bitter, with a hint of wild strawberry under the orange.

Poured with the Rosé, our blush Prosecco DOC Rosé, also Brut: softer on the bitter, with a hint of wild strawberry under the orange. With the Gold, it’s the crisp classic.

Tap each step as you go.

Salute.

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Why Prosecco first?

Aperol is heavier than the wine, so it sinks and mixes on its own. You never have to beat the bubbles out with a spoon.

Which Prosecco for a spritz?

A dry, fresh one, as cold as you can get it. Aperol brings the sweetness; she brings the bubbles.

GoldDOC Brut

Bella Principessa Prosecco DOC Rosé Brut

PinkDOC Rosé Brut

The Prosecco in this recipe: Bella Principessa, at ProseccoWine.com.

The Story

Why everyone’s drinking orange.
And why you’re here.

The drink you order from across the room.

Admit it: you saw one before you tasted one. On a terrace, catching the last of the light, the colour of a sunset someone else was having. The Aperol Spritz is the only cocktail you can order by pointing across a room.

The easiest yes on the menu.

It’s lighter than most cocktails, bitter enough to feel grown‑up and sweet enough to finish. It gives your hand something lovely to hold for an hour. It says: I’m out, I’m happy, and I’m in no hurry.

Orange, on purpose.

The Barbieri brothers launched Aperol in Padua in 19193, and gave it a colour that stops a room. The spritz is older: as most histories tell it, it began when Austrian soldiers in the Veneto softened the strong local wine with a splash of water4. Put the two together and you have the Veneto’s favourite aperitivo.

Your turn.

So now you want one at home, and you want it to look like the one you saw. It’s 3, 2, 1, plenty of ice1, and a bottle as pretty as the drink. We’d suggest ours.

Behind the Bar

Four ways
to spoil a spritz.

Errori da Evitare

Bella Principessa Social Club

Too much soda

It’s a splash. Any more and the drink tastes thin.

Too little ice

Fill the glass. More ice melts slower and keeps it cold.

Warm Prosecco

Fifteen minutes in ice and water, and the bubbles stay.

A flute

A spritz wants a big wine glass, with room for the ice.

Salute.

Variations

Same glass,
another mood.

Select SpritzThe Venetian pour, with a green olive.Campari SpritzDeeper red, more bitter.HugoElderflower and mint instead of a bitter.

×8For a crowdKeep the 3‑2‑1 and build each glass to order. A pitcher goes flat fast.

Spritz questions.

What’s the Aperol Spritz ratio?

3‑2‑1: three parts Prosecco, two parts Aperol, one part soda.

How strong is an Aperol Spritz?

Lighter than most cocktails. Prosecco is about 11% alcohol, Aperol is a low‑alcohol aperitivo, and the soda and ice soften both. It’s still a drink, so count them.

Which Prosecco is best for an Aperol Spritz?

A dry, fresh Prosecco DOC, as cold as you can get it. Aperol brings the sweetness; the wine brings the bubbles. Bella Principessa Gold is made for exactly this.

Can I make it with Champagne?

You can, but it isn’t the classic. Champagne’s toasty notes fight the orange; Prosecco’s fruit is the better match.

Please enjoy responsibly: 21+ only, and plan a safe way home.

Sources

Aperol and Campari are registered trademarks of the Campari Group2, and Select is a trademark of its owner. They are named here only to describe the recipes; Bella Principessa is independent of them and of their owners.

Written by

Michael Goldstein

Founder and Creative Director, Bella Principessa

He believes the best introductions happen over a glass, and that time with family and friends, old and new, is the real luxury. He writes here about the brand and the people who share it.

Read his story →

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