An Aperol Spritz is 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol and 1 part soda water, built over plenty of ice in a large wine glass and finished with a slice of orange. In ounces, that’s 3 oz Prosecco, 2 oz Aperol and a 1 oz splash of soda, the measures Aperol itself recommends. The best Prosecco for it is a fresh, well-chilled Brut.
It’s the drink that turns any balcony into a terrace in Venice, at least until someone asks who’s making the next round.
The recipe
- Plenty of ice
- 3 oz (90 mL) Prosecco Brut, chilled
- 2 oz (60 mL) Aperol
- 1 oz (30 mL) soda water
- A slice of orange (and, in Venice, sometimes a green olive)
Method
- Fill a large wine glass with ice.
- Pour the Prosecco first, then the Aperol, then the splash of soda.
- Stir once, gently. Add the orange slice.
Prosecco first matters: Aperol is heavier and sinks through the wine on its own, so you mix it without beating the bubbles out.
What’s the best Prosecco for an Aperol Spritz?
A Brut Prosecco DOC, as cold as you can get it. Aperol already brings the sweetness, with bittersweet orange and herbs, so the wine’s job is freshness and bubbles. Brut does that. Extra Dry, despite its name, is the sweeter style and tips the drink toward candy.
You don’t need an expensive bottle; the aperitivo covers most of the flavor. What you do need:
- Freshness. Prosecco is made to be drunk young. A bottle that’s been sitting warm on a shelf for years tastes flat in a spritz.
- Cold. Warm Prosecco melts the ice, waters the drink and kills the fizz in minutes.
- A label that says Prosecco DOC. That’s your guarantee it’s the real thing.
Our own Bella Principessa Prosecco DOC was made with exactly this kind of drink in mind. Its 200 mL size is handy too: one mini bottle is about two spritzes’ worth.
What is a spritz?
A spritz is a wine-based aperitif from the Veneto, the region around Venice: wine, a splash of soda, and usually a bitter Italian liqueur. The name comes from the German spritzen, “to splash.” The tradition, as Aperol and most histories tell it, goes back to the 1800s, when the Veneto was under Habsburg rule and Austrian soldiers and officials diluted the strong local wine with a splash of water.
Aperol came later. It was created in Padua in 1919 by the brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri, and the Aperol Spritz became the Veneto’s favorite aperitivo in the 1950s. In Venice you’ll also see the spritz made with Select, a Venetian bitter from 1920, or with Campari for a darker, more bitter drink.
Common mistakes
- Too much soda. It’s a splash, not a top-up. Too much and the drink tastes thin.
- Not enough ice. A half-full glass of ice melts faster and dilutes more. Fill it.
- Warm Prosecco. See above. Chill the bottle in ice water for about 15 minutes.
- The wrong glass. A big wine glass, not a flute: the spritz needs room for ice.
Variations
- No soda: some people skip it and use a little more Prosecco. The drink is stronger and sweeter-bitter; use 3½ oz Prosecco and 2 oz Aperol.
- Campari Spritz: swap Aperol for Campari. More bitter, deeper red.
- Select Spritz: the Venetian classic, garnished with a green olive.
- Hugo: elderflower and mint instead of a bitter. See our Christmas Prosecco cocktails for the recipe.
- For a crowd: keep the 3-2-1 ratio and build each glass to order. A pitcher goes flat fast.
Aperol 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? Weaker than most cocktails. Prosecco is about 11% alcohol and Aperol is a low-alcohol aperitivo, and the soda and ice dilute both. It’s still a drink: count them.
How many calories are in an Aperol Spritz? It depends on the pour, but Aperol is sweet, so the spritz carries more sugar than a glass of Brut on its own. For the wine side of the math, see calories in Prosecco.
Can I make it with Champagne? You can, but it’s not the classic, and the toasty Champagne flavors fight the orange. Prosecco’s fruit is the better match.
More drinks: our Prosecco cocktails guide · the Bellini · the mimosa
Please enjoy responsibly: 21+ only, and plan a safe way home.
