The Classic Aperol Spritz and Three Variations Worth Making This Spring
The Aperol Spritz is one of those cocktails bartenders have been pouring for years, but it rarely gets the credit it deserves for being genuinely well-constructed. Bitter, bubbly, and low in alcohol, it’s built for drinking slowly on a warm afternoon. With spring properly arriving across New Zealand, it’s also the right time to revisit it. And not just the classic, but three riffs that take the same bones and do something more interesting with them.
All four versions below follow the same basic logic: a bitter aperitivo, a sparkling wine or alternative, and a splash of soda. What changes is the flavour direction. You can find everything you need at LiquorMe, including some NZ-made options that slide into these recipes beautifully. These are part of a broader library of cocktail recipes we’ve been building out for curious home bartenders.
Why These Cocktail Recipes NZ Drinkers Will Love Actually Work
A spritz works because of tension. The bitterness of Aperol, which sits at around 11% ABV and tastes of orange peel, rhubarb, and a little vanilla, is softened by the sweetness of sparkling wine and stretched out by soda water. It’s never too sweet, never too sharp. The bubbles carry the aromatics up so you smell it before you taste it. That’s not an accident. It’s a big part of why the spritz became a fixture of the Italian aperitivo hour.
The variations below each shift one element. Swap the sparkling wine for something fruitier and the whole thing turns tropical. Use a lemon-forward base and it gets brighter and more tart. Add a splash of vermouth and it takes on savoury depth. Same structure, very different drinks.
What You Need
The Classic Aperol Spritz
- 90ml Prosecco or dry sparkling wine
- 60ml Aperol
- 30ml soda water
- Ice, plenty of it
- Orange slice to garnish
Variation 1: Tropical Spritz
- 90ml Prosecco or dry sparkling wine
- 45ml Aperol
- 15ml Saturdays Passionfruit liqueur
- 30ml soda water
- Ice
- Fresh passionfruit or pineapple to garnish
Variation 2: Lemon Spritz
- 90ml Lemsecco Lemon Spritz
- 45ml Aperol
- 15ml Santa Marta Limoncello
- 20ml soda water
- Ice
- Lemon wheel to garnish
Variation 3: Rosé and Vermouth Spritz
- 75ml Tread Softly Prosecco Rosé
- 45ml Aperol
- 20ml Vermouth Di Torino Rossa
- 30ml soda water
- Ice
- Orange peel or fresh raspberry to garnish
How to Make It
- Fill a large wine glass (a balloon glass works best) with plenty of ice. Don’t skimp here. You want the drink cold from the first sip to the last.
- Pour the Aperol over the ice first.
- Add your sparkling wine or base of choice. Pour gently down the side of the glass to preserve the bubbles.
- Add any secondary spirits, such as the limoncello or vermouth, at this point.
- Top with soda water and give it one slow stir, just enough to combine without deflating everything.
- Add your garnish. For the classic, an orange slice half-submerged looks better than a wedge perched on the rim.
Tips and Variations
Get your ratios right. The traditional Italian build is 3-2-1: three parts Prosecco, two parts Aperol, one part soda. But if you find Aperol a touch sweet, flip it to more sparkling and less Aperol. There’s no rule you have to follow here.
Sparkling wine quality matters more than you’d think. A flat or thin Prosecco makes a flat spritz. If you want to push the classic version into genuinely impressive territory, try building it with Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve or Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut. Both are proper Champagnes with a biscuity backbone that adds real complexity to what’s otherwise a simple drink.
The Tropical Spritz works brilliantly for a crowd. A splash of Saturdays Passionfruit liqueur brings sweetness and fruit intensity that pairs with Aperol’s bitterness better than you’d expect. Mix the Aperol and liqueur in a jug ahead of time, then add the sparkling wine, soda and ice per glass when you’re serving. That way nothing goes flat on you.
Make It Zero-Proof
A non-alcoholic spritz is a legitimate drink in its own right, not a compromise. For the bitter aperitivo element, Lyre’s Italian Orange is the closest swap for Aperol. For the sparkling wine, a good quality sparkling grape juice or a soda with some complexity works well. If you want something with more personality and a genuine NZ angle, check out our Kawakawa and Feijoa Spritz recipe for a zero-proof option that’s actually worth making for its own sake. An alcohol-free sparkling wine such as Brown Bros Prosecco Zero keeps the spritz feel. Note that Lemsecco Lemon Spritz is a sparkling wine at around 9.5% ABV, so leave it out of any zero-proof version.
What to Eat With It
The Aperol Spritz and its variations are food pairing naturals. The bitterness cuts through fat beautifully, which makes it excellent alongside a cheese board with aged cheddar and a sharp blue. Salty snacks like olives, prosciutto, or good quality crackers work for the same reason: the salt amplifies the fruit in the Aperol. For something more substantial, try it with grilled white fish or lemon herb chicken. The Lemon Spritz variation in particular handles anything with a squeeze of citrus over it. Spring in New Zealand means outdoor eating is back, and a pitcher of these alongside a grazing board is a very good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use champagne instead of Prosecco in an Aperol Spritz?
Yes. Champagne brings more yeast and toast notes than Prosecco, so the drink comes out drier and a little richer. Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve or Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut are both solid choices if you want to try it.
What’s the difference between the classic and the vermouth variation?
The Vermouth Di Torino Rossa adds a savoury, herbal layer that the classic doesn’t have. It’s more complex and less simply fruity. If you find the standard Aperol Spritz a little one-dimensional, the vermouth version fixes that. Think of it as the more grown-up sibling.
How strong is an Aperol Spritz?
The classic is around 8-10% ABV depending on your sparkling wine and how much Aperol you use. Aperol itself is 11%, and when diluted with wine and soda you end up with something closer to a glass of light wine in strength. The tropical variation swaps some of the Aperol for a small splash of passionfruit liqueur, so it sits at about the same strength.
Can I make these cocktails nz style in a big batch for a party?
Absolutely. Combine the Aperol and any secondary spirits in a jug ahead of time and refrigerate. Add the sparkling wine just before serving, and top each glass individually with soda and ice. Never pre-mix the soda into a batch or you’ll lose all the bubbles before anyone gets near a glass. If you enjoy batching drinks, our Espresso Martini recipe has tips on scaling cocktails for a crowd that apply here too.
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