The Aperol Spritz is a classic cocktail that was created in the early 1920s after brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri first introduced Aperol at the Padua International Fair in Italy. It’s said that this light and refreshing mix of the bitter Italian liqueur, Prosecco, soda water, and citrus was made to highlight the Aperol’s flavor, and since then, the drink has become a favorite apéritif of mid-afternoon imbibers in Italy. It wasn’t until the 2000s that the Aperol Spritz made its way onto bar menus in other countries, however. Gruppo Campari, owners of the larger Italian liqueur Campari, purchased the Aperol brand in 2003 and have since heavily marketed the liqueur as the main ingredient in a spritz cocktail, which led to its worldwide popularity.
Fill a highball or large wine glass with cubed ice.
Add sparkling wine, Aperol, and soda water to highball or wine glass.
Using a bar spoon, stir for 3-5 seconds.
Garnish with orange slice.