August 1 is National Spritz Day, and what better excuse to raise a glass of summer’s most iconic cocktail? From the classic Aperol serve to fresh, floral twists, the spritz continues to dominate patios and brunch tables not just because it looks good, but because it pairs so effortlessly with warm-weather hosting.
Although its origins lie in 19th-century northern Italy—when locals began topping up Austrian wines with soda water—the modern spritz has become a global phenomenon. The idea of dedicating a day to it came about naturally, too: over the last few years, drinkers across Europe and North America began informally marking August 1 as the date to celebrate the spritz in all its bubbly glory. Today, National Spritz Day is embraced around the world by home hosts and cocktail lovers alike.
Here’s how to mix four crowd-pleasing variations—and what to serve alongside each. —Roger Spurr,
Co-founder, The Home Cocktail Club / NationalSpritzDay.com
Aperol Spritz
Ingredients:
- 3 parts (75ml) Prosecco
- 2 parts (50ml) Aperol
- 1 part (25ml) soda water
- Orange slice, to garnish
In a stemmed wine glass filled with ice, pour 3 parts Prosecco, followed by 2 parts Aperol and a splash of soda water. Gently stir, garnish with an orange slice and serve.
Pair it with:
- Salted or marcona almonds
- Orange wedges or blood orange slices
- Aged cheese like pecorino or manchego
Hugo Spritz
Ingredients:
- 2 shots (50ml) Elderflower liqueur (e.g. St-Germain)
- 1 shot (25ml) Gin
- 3 shots (75ml) Prosecco
- 1 shot (25ml) Soda water
- Fresh mint and lime, to garnish
Add elderflower liqueur, gin, Prosecco and soda water to a wine glass filled with ice. Stir gently and garnish with mint and a lime slice.
Pair it with:
- Burrata with fresh basil and olive oil
- Sliced peaches or figs
- Crostini with lemon zest and sea salt
Strawberry & Pineapple Mocktail Spritz
Ingredients:
- 1 shot (25ml) Strawberry juice
- ½ shot (10ml) Lime juice
- 4 shots (100ml) Pineapple juice
- Soda water, to top up
- Garnish: slices of pineapple & strawberry
Add strawberry juice, lime juice and pineapple juice to a wine glass filled with ice. Stir gently, top with soda water, and garnish with slices of pineapple and strawberry.
Pair it with:
- Watermelon and feta skewers
- Chilli-lime mango slices
- Coconut macaroons or shortbread
Summer Spritz
Ingredients:
- 2 shots (50ml) Rosé wine
- 1 shot (25ml) Gin
- ½ shot (10ml) Elderflower cordial
- Sparkling or tonic water, to top up
- Garnish: lemon slice or cucumber ribbon
Add rosé wine, gin, and elderflower cordial to a wine glass filled with ice. Top with sparkling or tonic water. Stir gently and garnish with lemon or cucumber.
Pair it with:
- Prosciutto-wrapped melon or peaches
- Herbed goat cheese and seeded crackers
- Marinated olives or white anchovies
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