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Why we love a good spritz

The Spritz is one of our favorite, simple cocktails. A drink essential for the hot weather months, these cocktails also make brunch a more festive occasion the whole year through.

The tradition of spritz cocktails

You may be wondering what exactly we mean when we refer to spritz cocktails but we bet you’ve enjoyed a spritz or two, possibly without knowing it. According to Talia Baiocchi, co-author of Spritz, (yes, there’s a whole book on the topic), the drink is simply a drink made with a generous splash of soda. Sometimes these cocktails are layered with both sparkling wine and soda. But the point is that these drinks are mildly effervescent and lower in alcohol than many traditional cocktails. Baiocchi calls them cocktails that, “aren’t meant to be taken too seriously.” Campari and soda, white wine spritzers fall into this category.

In a recent tirade condemning the current popularity of the Aperol variation on the drink, the New York Times declares that to fall into this category, a drink must include three parts bubbly, one part bitter, one part soda.

However, we prefer to take the more historic view that the drink, dating back to ancient Rome, is simply a light and fairly watered down and mildly effervescent cocktail. (It’s believed the tradition of this cocktail category stems from the ancient custom of watering down wine. Because, of course, nobody except Dionysus could handle wine at full strength.)

Whatever the definition of the cocktail to which you subscribe, we can all agree that these drinks make a smart choice for brunch. Fast and easy to make, they keep your guests safe from mid-morning inebriation. And although we’ve already offered two spritz recipes for your day drinking pleasure, we believe there can never be enough options when it comes to this class of cocktails.

What is a Vermut Spritz?

This cocktail recipe calls for the combination of sherry-based vermouth with sparkling wine and a splash of soda. The creator, Bodegas Lustau, uses its newest vermouth, a Rosé, for the cocktail. The result is a drink in a hue of pink that’s nothing short of stunning.

Of course, you can always substitute with your favorite vermouth. But we encourage you to try the pink variation as written below to experience the drink as it was intended. That’s because Lustau’s rosé sherry is a unique blend of Fino sherry, Moscatel and a lively and fruity Tintilla de Rota wine. They are combined with a proprietary blend of botanicals including the aphrodisiacs of nutmeg, vanilla and the bitterness of wormwood–the same ingredient that gives absinthe its dangerous reputation.

two hands, each holding a Lustau Spritz with a bottle of the vermouth in the background

The Vermut Spritz

Print Recipe

A Spanish variation on a Spritz cocktail, this drink combines pink vermouth with the effervescence of sparkling wine.

Course aperitif, cocktail

Cuisine Spanish

Dish Type Cocktail

Cooking Style Mixology

Ingredient sparkling wine, Vermouth

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings cocktail

Author Bodegas Lustau

Ingredients

- 1 ¼ oz Lustau Vermut Rosé
-2 oz Cava sparkling wine
- Dash of soda
- Grapefruit wheels or slices

Instructions

Combine over ice, garnish and serve.

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Amy Reiley

Eat Something Sexy's Creator & Editor-in-Chief Amy Reiley is the award-winning author of five aphrodisiac cookbooks. She has her Master of Arts in Gastronomy, awarded by Le Cordon Bleu and The University of Adelaide. She is also a Certified Nutrition Coach awarded by the International Sports Sciences Association and she is a California Certified Massage Therapist.

Amy is considered a leading authority on aphrodisiacs. Her work in aphrodisiacs is quoted in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, Health and Playboy magazines. She speaks internationally on aphrodisiac foods and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac history and science to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. She is a frequent guest on relationship and lifestyle radio and podcast shows and has been interviewed by BBC and NPR radio, Cosmopolitan radio and popular podcasts including My Dad Wrote a Porno.

Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health researcher and writer as well as a wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is an MSN content provider. And she is also a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine.

Fun fact: Amy was the creator of the first ever comprehensive food and wine apps, Amy Reiley's Pocket Gourmet and Amy Reiley's Pocket Vineyard for Palm.

The Vermut Spritz – a simple, Spanish cocktail