Spritz. Speak it out loud. The mere phonetics feel like a refreshing summer pick-me-up. But your Pinot Grigio wine spritzer? Not the most, erm, sophisticated cocktail order ever. Which brings us to summer 2017’s hottest drink: the Aperol Spritz.
A bittery sweet orange liqueur with notes of herbs and rhubarb, Aperol was invented in Padua, Italy, back in 1919 by a pair of Italian brothers, and it’s been a cultural institution ever since. Light and palate-cleansing, it makes a delightful aperitivo to whet the appetite before a late summer dinner.
To make one, all you need to do is pour prosecco (3 parts) and Aperol liqueur (2 parts) over ice, stir once, then top off with a splash of club soda and an orange wedge to garnish. And you don’t have to get too fussy about things either—a general eyeballing yields a damn tasty concoction.
So why is everybody so obsessed with them? Drinking one of these beauties feels like a special occasion, and with super-minimal effort to get there. Better still, the alcohol content is about the same as wine (meaning you can indulge in more than one without getting totally sloshed).
