Hugo Spritz Recipe

Prepare Glass

Select a large wine glass or stemmed goblet. Add the cubed ice to fill roughly halfway (about 1 cup). This chills the glass and keeps the spritz cold without diluting too quickly.

Muddle Mint

Place about 6 of the fresh mint leaves into the chilled glass on top of the ice. Gently clap the remaining 2 mint leaves between your palms to release their aroma and set aside for garnish. Using a bartender's muddler or the back of a spoon, lightly press the mint leaves in the glass just to bruise them and release oils — do not over-muddle to avoid bitterness.

Add Fresh Lime Juice and Elderflower Liqueur

Pour 0.25 oz fresh lime juice into the glass over the mint and ice, followed by 0.75 oz elderflower liqueur. The fresh lime brightens the cocktail and balances the sweetness of the liqueur.

Top with Prosecco and Soda

Slowly add 4 oz chilled Prosecco to the glass. Pour gently to preserve bubbles. Add 1 oz chilled soda water to finish. Stir gently once with a bar spoon (one or two slow turns) to combine ingredients without flattening the sparkling wine.

Garnish and Serve

Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge on the rim and the reserved mint sprig tucked into the glass. Optionally slap the mint sprig once to release aroma before garnishing. Serve immediately with a straw or stirrer.

Notes

Adjust elderflower liqueur to taste — increase to 1 oz for a sweeter, more floral drink or reduce to 0.5 oz for a drier spritz. To make a non-alcoholic version, substitute Prosecco with chilled non-alcoholic sparkling wine and replace the elderflower liqueur with 0.5–0.75 oz elderflower syrup.