The Aperol Spritz is a popular Italian cocktail that has gained worldwide fame in recent years. We can trace the origins of the cocktail back to the early 19th century, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire ruled over parts of northern Italy, including the region of Veneto where it was first created.
It was in the early 20th century that the cocktail really began to take shape.
Inspired by a popular French aperitif that they aimed to adapt with a distinctly Italian flavor, the Barbieri brother, Luigi and Silvio creat Aperol, a bitter orange liquer, in 1919.
The original recipe for the Aperol Spritz dates back to the 1920s, when it was first served as a way to make the bitter Aperol more palatable. The recipe called for equal parts Aperol and sparkling wine, topped off with a splash of soda water and garnished with a slice of orange.
The cocktail remained a local favorite in the Veneto region for decades, but it wasn’t until the 2000s that it began to gain wider popularity. In 2003, the Campari Group acquired Aperol and began marketing it more aggressively, promoting the Aperol Spritz as a refreshing summer drink.
The cocktail’s popularity skyrocketed, and it became a ubiquitous sight at bars and cafes across Italy. It also gained a reputation as a fashionable drink, thanks in part to a marketing campaign that featured the slogan “Spritz: the drink of the modern and cosmopolitan woman.”
Today, the Aperol Spritz is a beloved cocktail around the world, with variations on the original recipe that include everything from prosecco to gin. Despite its international fame, however, it remains a quintessentially Italian drink that captures the spirit of la dolce vita.
Make this cocktail at home: https://fancyadr.ink/recipe/aperol-spritz/
