Wine cocktails
A spritz is a wine cocktail: the wine is the body, and everything else is a lengthener, a scent, or a garnish.
The plain version
Before bitter orange and elderflower, a spritz was wine sprayed with sparkling water. The white wine spritz and a simple prosecco and soda are still the most useful recipes on a weeknight.
Dry wine only. Sweet wine plus soda is a cooler, and not a good one.
When to add something
Add elderflower and mint and you are in Hugo territory. Add bitter orange and you are in the Aperol-style glass. Peach and grapefruit sit in between: fruit does the seasoning, and you may not need a second bottle at all.
If the food is the main event, match the bottle in Gastrona after you pick the glass. The drink recipe and the dinner pairing are different jobs.
Recipes
White Wine Hugo
White wine, elderflower, mint.
White wine aperitivo
Still wine, bitter orange.
White wine limoncello spritz
Lemon on dry white wine.
White wine spritz
Cold wine, lengthened.
Prosecco and soda
Prosecco, soda, peel.
Rosé spritz
Dry rosé, lengthened.
Peach spritz
Ripe peach, cold bubbles.
Grapefruit spritz
Pink citrus and prosecco.
Rosemary grapefruit spritz
Citrus and a pine note.
Questions people ask
Is a spritz a wine cocktail?
Yes. Prosecco or still wine is the largest pour. Soda, a bitter, elderflower, or citrus seasons it.