Spritz

The history of the Veneto cocktail par excellence

The first version of the spritz can be traced back to the early 19th century, with the custom of the troops of the Austrian Empire to dilute Veneto wines with sparkling water. This also gave rise to its name from the German verb spritzen, meaning 'to splash', the act of adding sparkling water to wine.

Today's Spritz, as we know it, originated in the early post-war period when the habit of aperitifs became widespread. In fact, between the 1920s and 1930s, bitter began to be added to the Spritz mixture in the areas between Venice and Padua.

It was precisely at that time that the Pilla brothers in Venice launched the custom of drinking the Spritz with soda or soda water, while in the meantime the Paduan Barbieri brothers created another bitter: Aperol. Thus the Spritz became popular first in the Veneto region and then spread throughout the peninsula to become a globally consumed cocktail. Its nationwide popularity was fostered thanks to the Aperol aperitif company, which launched a major advertising campaign in 2008.

Over the years, the Spritz has continued to be the protagonist of the aperitif, a pause that has been extended in time, being served with numerous snacks, noodles or cicchetti, thus transforming into the famous Apericena.

Preparation

As mentioned earlier, the Spritz is therefore an alcoholic aperitif based on Prosecco, Aperol and soda (or sparkling water) that is usually served in a wine glass.

To prepare one properly, start by filling a wine glass with ice, then pour three parts Prosecco and add two parts Aperol. It is then finished off with one part soda or sparkling water and garnished with a nice slice of orange, although here in Venice you cannot miss the famous olive as the finishing touch. If you want to make a non-alcoholic spritz, use two parts orange juice and a splash of soda.

Among the perfect accompaniments to enjoy while sipping our Spritz are various savoury preparations such as: canapés, especially those with smoked salmon and avocado, fresh or mature cheeses, sliced meats of all kinds, or vegetables (courgettes, carrots, celery).