Aperol Spritz

Unusual heat has hit in the Firewater Lounge, so we have already traded our spring cocktails for our summer ones. We picked up some cans of Bollicini, sparkling wine in aluminum, obviously marketed toward the picnicking or convenience-conscious American. We bought two kinds, the cuvée and rosé. The cuvée’s nose out of the can is full of sweaty-gym shoe, the flavor is sour apple and pear. Not exactly something that I’d drink from the can. The rosé’s nose is much more pleasing, like light grapes and berries. The rosé is sharply sour. It goes without saying these little wines were meant to be chilled cold in a cooler for a backyard game of bags.

I’d much rather cocktail the Bollicinis with an inexpensive improvement to develop their flavor. Aperol, given its cost-effectiveness and availability, will fill the bill. One of the world’s best late afternoon drinks is the Aperol Spritz, considered one of Italy’s most popular aperitivos. Since the Spritz calls for sparking wine, it is just the drink I’m looking for. The classic recipe is easy to remember because its a 3-2-1.

Aperol Spritz
3 parts Bollicini sparkling wine (or prosecco)
2 parts Aperol
1 part soda water


Chill your Aperol in freezer for several hours. Refrigerate your Bollicinis and a can of soda water. Mix all ingredients in the proper proportion in a wine glass. If you like, you can build the ingredients on ice in a double-old fashioned glass and garnish with a orange wheel. This classic presentation is known specifically as a Spritz Veneziano