Summertime, and the spritzin’ is easy. While there are basic guidelines to building a spritz cocktail, there’s more than one way to spritz. There is indeed life beyond the ubiquitous Aperol Spritz, and we’re here to share all the options available at CORK.

The traditional spritz setup is 2 ounces liqueur and 3 ounces sparkling wine, topped with club soda. However, rules are meant to be broken. For example, not many of us would want to open a bottle of bubbly just for a casual, impromptu drink at home. Can you add bitters? A flavoring agent like juice? Sure! The possibilities are endless!

THE BASE

This is where you get to choose your spritz destiny. A natural route to take is Vermouth, and we have so many to get you started, but the classic spritz Vermouth is a Blanc/Bianco such as Comoz Vermouth de Chambéry, La Quintinye Vermouth Royal or Montanaro Vermouth di Torino. Take the rosé route with Istine Vermouth di Radda, a rosé style Vermouth made from Sangiovese. CORK also carries Lo-Fi Aperitifs’ Dry and Sweet Vermouths, as well as their Gentian Amaro, made from white wine and grape spirits. Check out Lo-Fi’s spritz guide for some easy options!

Want something more bitter and spicy? Meet Quinquina, an aperitif wine made from quinquina bark (the source for quinine), blended with spices and botanicals. Bonal Gentian-Quina, Byrrh Grand Quinquina, Mattei Cap Corse Rouge and Blanc are all fantastic simply with soda or tonic and a citrus peel. As with Vermouth, rosso varieties will typically be spicier, whereas blanc varieties will lend more mineral and floral notes.

A couple wild cards to consider. First, Dow’s White Port makes a mean White Port and Tonic. The name says it all. Second, Shibata Yuzu Sake is fantastic in a spritz – just add club soda!

BUBBLES

The one component that is a MUST is bubbly. As mentioned, you can include sparkling wine and club soda. While we offer a wide variety of sparkling wines, our Conde de Subirats Cava and Acinum Extra Dry Prosecco are the go-to’s in this case. Club soda alone is perfectly acceptable. In some cases, tonic is the preferred bubbly. Want a little bite? Try ginger beer – an excellent option for the Yuzu Sake we mentioned.

ADD-IN’S

Want a little something extra? Add in a sweet splash of Patrick Font Nectar, available in Red Raspberry, Blonde Orange, and White Peach. 
Plus, a dash of bitters goes a long way, adding depth and balance. Four of our fave options for a spritz are Bitter Housewife’s Grapefruit and Aromatic varieties, Dr. Adam Elmegirab’s Spanish Bitters (think citrus and floral) and Pink House Alchemy’s Honeysuckle Bitters. 

SHORTCUTS

If you’re on the go or wanting instant gratification, we have just the thing: canned spritzes! Ramona Blood Orange and Dry Grapefruit Spritzes are made from organic Sicilian wine and contain no refined sugar, no gluten and no artificial anything. Don Ciccio’s La Perla Ambrosia Spritz is a low-alcohol Vermouth spritz with flavors of cantaloupe and blood orange. Infused with Valencia orange, a bouquet of bitter and savory herbs and other traditional botanicals, Sera Luce Venetian Spritz awakens your palate with the perfect balance of bitter and sweet.

Finally, some non-alcoholic canned spritz options! Ghia Le Spritz is a spritzed version of the popular Ghia mixer, beloved for its bitter citrus, rosemary and elderflower flavors. Casamara Club’s Alta Amaro Club Soda is a spritzy take on the classic Italian aperitivo, the Negroni. Enjoy an intense, pink citrus bite balanced with fresh, fruity spice notes.