A short history of... Spritz: summer's trendiest orange cocktail

This summer’s flagship cocktail is made with orange liqueur, sparkling wine and a dash of sparkling water. The Spritz is a bar menu staple that can be found on terraces the world over. Luxus Magazine takes a look back at the history of this trendy drink and its variations, which are sure to delight every palate.

Italian or Austrian? The origins of Spritz have been the subject of debate for decades. Invented in the early 19th century, this elixir originated in Venice, at a time largely occupied by the Austrians. The Austrians, suspicious of the quality of the local wines, used to sprinkle sparkling water over their drinks. Spritz was born of this “spritzen” gesture.

The evolution of a recipe

With the arrival of Aperol in 1919, the drink as we know it today truly became a cocktail. This alcohol reveals a bitter orange flavour, notes of herbs and roots, and a light touch of vanilla. Apérol is then mixed with sparkling water, before adding prosecco, the famous Italian sparkling wine produced in the Venetian region. Other recipes, replacing Apérol with Campari, Select or Cynar, are also being developed.

Popular in Venice and Padua, the cocktail spread more widely throughout the Venetian region, and then throughout Italy, boosted by television advertisements for the Apérol brand. But the orange drink remained fairly local. In 2003, Spritz began a new era in its history.

That year, Aperol was bought by the Campari group. For several years, the company put in place a communications strategy that reached its peak in the 2010s. Successful campaigns were unveiled to the public to raise awareness of the spirit. Over the last ten years, Aperol alone has increased its sales fivefold, becoming Campari’s number one brand. By 2023, the brand’s sales had increased by 23%.

Over the years, the resulting cocktail has taken over terraces in Europe, America and the rest of the world. Prosecco has become THE Italian benchmark for sparkling wine.

From traditional Spritz to trendy Saint-Germain

Today, the classic Spritz recipe is made up of one third Apérol, two thirds prosecco and a dash of sparkling water. The whole is enhanced by a slice of orange and, sometimes, a green olive. One of the Top 10 best-selling cocktails in the world, it can be found on the menu of almost any bar, as well as in the most upmarket settings.

While many different versions have appeared, depending on the region and the specific tastes of the clientele, one cocktail has managed to stand out from the crowd: the very trendy Saint-Germain. The drink is not orange but a very elegant transparent hue. Made from prosecco, sparkling water and the French liqueur Saint-Germain, made from elderflower, this cocktail is constantly gaining in popularity, with its lighter flavours than the traditional Spritz.

This summer, the Saint-Germain Spritz is at the heart of an advertising spot starring Sophie Turner. The Game of Thrones star is seen looking for something fresh and cheerful for her holiday. In a chic bar in the south of France, the barman offers her a legendary Saint-Germain Hugo Spritz.