A Perol Spritz Recipe

1. Chill glass

If possible, chill a large wine or stemmed glass in the freezer for 5–10 minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare ingredients to keep the spritz colder longer.

2. Add ice

Fill the chilled wine glass about three-quarters full with fresh ice cubes (approximately 1 cup).

3. Pour Aperol

Measure and pour 3 tablespoons (about 1.5 fl oz) of Aperol over the ice. This is the bitter-sweet base of the spritz.

4. Add sparkling wine

Slowly pour 4 fl oz of chilled Cava into the glass. Pour gently down the side to preserve carbonation.

5. Top with soda

Add 1 fl oz of chilled soda water to lighten the cocktail and add effervescence. Adjust soda quantity to taste if you prefer a lighter or stronger spritz.

6. Stir gently

Use a bar spoon to give the drink one or two gentle stir rotations to combine Aperol, Cava, and soda without flattening the bubbles.

7. Garnish and serve

Place one fresh orange wheel on the rim or float it in the drink. Serve immediately while cold and effervescent.

8. To scale the recipe for multiple servings, keep the approximate ratio Aperol : sparkling wine : soda at 1 : 2.5–3 : 0.6 (by volume). For a slightly drier spritz, use a drier cava or reduce Aperol by up to 25%.

9. If you prefer measurements in tablespoons/ounces: 3 tbs Aperol ≈ 1.5 fl oz; 4 fl oz cava ≈ 1/2 cup.