Skip to main content

The 4 Best Spritz Cocktail Recipes To Drink This Spring

The spritz is liquid springtime, utilizing the power of sparkling wine and the floral nature of this time of year. The classic involves prosecco and Aperol but that’s merely one of countless permutations to make and enjoy this iconic sipper. Think of it as a fizzy cooler, a drinkable bouquet of sorts cut to your liking based on your favorite accents, aromatics, and mixers.

While we advise you to go with the Italian classic and utilize the famous bitter aperitif, at least some of the time, we also want you to be curious and inventive. Like the Old-Fashioned or Negroni, the spritz is so much more than one thing, and very much worth plunging into and fully exploring. And there’s no better time to do so than the thawing, rejuvenating, increasingly-thirsty days of spring.

Two glasses of Rose cocktail with blueberry garnish on crocheted cloth on a metal tray.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Whether you mix one with bubbly water, Prosecco, Cava, Champagne, or something else entirely, here are some to make and remake this spring.

Rooftop Rosé Spritz Recipe

A glass of Rooftop Rosé Spritz garnished with thyme on a table.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

New York City’s Refinery Rooftop features a glass roof, so you can enjoy the view no matter what season. This spritz, created by In Good Company Hospitality’s cocktail curator Will Benedetto, is especially perfect for enjoying during the warmer months.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces The Botanist gin
  • 3/4 ounce grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 ounce thyme simple syrup*
  • 1/4 ounce lemon juice
  • 1 piece lemon peel
  • Wölffer Rosé Cider to top

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake vigorously.
  2. Strain and pour into a glass over ice and top with Wolffer Rosé Cider.
  3. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme.

*Thyme simple syrup: Combine 1 cup sugar, 5 large thyme sprigs, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and strain.

Cancion del Verano Recipe

A cold glass of Cancion del Verano garnished with grapefruit beside grapefruit wedges, leaves, and a handle of a knife on wooden cutting board.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This citrusy spritz from one of our favorite Spanish restaurants, Boqueria, mixes mint and grapefruit with vermouth and bubbly for a light, balanced libation. Dial in the volume of your Cava pour, as too much or too little can throw the whole thing off.

Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 6 minutes
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces Ya Cava
  • 1 1/2 ounces Atxa white vermouth
  • 3/4 ounce grapefruit mint cooler mix*
  • 2 heavy dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
  • Grapefruit wedge to garnish

Method

  1. Add all ingredients, save for the garnish, to a wine glass filled with ice.
  2. Stir briefly and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

*Grapefruit mint cooler mix: Muddle 7 large mint leaves in 3/4 ounce simple syrup. Add 3 ounces fresh grapefruit juice and 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice and stir to combine.

Greenmarket Spritz Recipe

A woman holds a glass of Greenmarket Spritz containing cucumber slices and thyme sprig over vegetables.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

New York’s Bocce teamed up with spritz master Stacey Swenson from Dante at Genuine to create this herb-packed libation, which is perfect for both mild days and cool evenings. Pro tip: Infuse the tequila early so you have it at the ready when the happy hour bell is ringing.

Prep Time: 24 hours (spirit-infusion)
Total Time: 4 minutes (to make cocktail)
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce herb-infused Espolon Blanco tequila*
  • 1/2 ounce Carpano Dry vermouth
  • 1 ounce fresh cucumber juice
  • 1/4 ounce agave syrup
  • 1/4 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1 dash Bitter Truth Celery Bitters
  • 1 dash saline
  • Cucumber strips to garnish

Method

  1. Add all ingredients, save for the garnish, to a wine glass filled with ice.
  2. Stir briefly and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

*Herb-infused tequila: Combine a bottle of Espolon Blanco tequila with 1 tablespoon ground oregano, 2 rosemary sprigs, and 2 thyme sprigs. Let macerate for 24 hours at room temperature. Strain and discard the herbs. Store the herb-infused tequila in the fridge until ready to use.

Almond and Peach Spritz Recipe

A male bartender standing behind a bar counter with a glass of Almond and Peach Spritz with mint sprig garnish.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Equal parts nutty, fruity, and delicious, this drink from Gary Wallach has us thinking of warm brunch patios. It’s an al fresco sipper that’s not too heavy, so you can keep ahold of your day even if you’re imbibing right around the noon hour.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces Dolin dry vermouth
  • 1/2 ounce Maker’s Mark
  • 3/4 ounce peach puree
  • 1/2 ounce orgeat
  • Prosecco and soda to top
  • Lemon twist and mint sprig to garnish

Method

  1. Add the first four ingredients to a wine glass and add ice.
  2. Top with equal parts Prosecco and soda.
  3. Use a bar spoon to agitate the ingredients.
  4. Garnish with a lemon twist and mint sprig.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mark Stock
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
The best tea cocktail recipes if you love a hot toddy
Warm up with these hot tea cocktail recipes this winter
Red Hot Toddy.

If the Hot Toddy has taught us anything, it's that warm tea makes for a great cocktail base. And it's no wonder, given the broad range of tea types and styles. Given that we're still in winter's grip, these kinds of drinks are all the more intriguing, offering two kinds of warmth -- the hot tea itself and the booze.

You can end up with something drinkable by just throwing a tea bag and some spirits into a mug with some hot water. But we're not going for drinkable, we're aiming for utterly irresistible. That said, there are some things to keep in mind when mixing with tea. The most important aspect is to make the tea as recommended by the producer, as different kinds often require different methods.

Read more
12 tasty, versatile sake cocktails to whip up and enjoy
Try these delicious sake cocktails to up your mixology game
Winter Spritz Cocktail

Odds are, you're either not drinking enough sake or you're not mixing it right. Fortunately, this lovely nectar of fermented rice is nimble and cocktail-ready, once you get the hang of it.

What is sake?
Sake is the national drink of Japan, it's an alcoholic beverage that is made of fermented rice, water, yeast, and Aspergillus oryzae mold, which is also known as koji. The mold is used to convert the starch in the rice to sugar. The rice used in the process of making sake is a special sakamai rice that is high in starch and low in protein. The rice is highly milled (or polished) to remove the outer hull and some of the bran. Highly polished sake rice will lead to a smoother final product.

Read more
Seltzers, cocktails, and more: The 9 best CBD drinks we tried in 2024
These tasty CBD drinks will have you feeling calmer in no time
Cans of RisEau cbd drinks.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, has been hot for a while now, making its way into everything from teas with CBD to a variety of coffee brands with CBD. If you're wondering "what is CBD?" — it's a naturally occurring compound present in cannabis plants. According to the World Health Organization, it's not addictive, has a solid safety profile, and won't get you high. In clinical trials, it's been effective in the treatment of epilepsy and shows promise in treating a number of other conditions.

In addition to CBD-infused water, tea, soda, and seltzer, another growing trend is CBD-infused nonalcoholic spirits and cocktails. The adult beverage market is flooded with CBD products promising to help you relax, sleep, destress, and mellow out, all without the hangover you'd get from booze (CBD is considered a controlled substance and can't be legally added to booze, at least not yet). We've rounded up a few of our favorite CBD drinks below, from CBD cocktails to CBD water, so you can work your relaxation into your daily routine no matter where you are.

Read more