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The refreshing orange-hued cocktail is getting some buzz. Learn how to make an Aperol Spritz at home.

If you’ve been watching HBO’s White Lotus, based in Sicily, you’ve surely noticed a certain bright, orange cocktail. Many of the characters have been sipping this poolside drink and on the beach, overlooking the gorgeous Sicilian landscape. What is this drink, served in a huge wine glass on ice? It’s called an Aperol Spritz. Regardless of your proximity to a pool, you should make this bright and sunny cocktail at home.

What Is an Aperol Spritz?

Aperol Spritz is Italy’s most popular cocktail made with prosecco and bittersweet and a bright orange liqueur called Aperol, along with a splash of sparkling water. Spritz cocktails, in general, originated in northeast Italy, around Venice, and usually refers to a drink  made with prosecco, (the local sparkling wine), a splash of liqueur or fruit juice, and sparkling water or club soda. These days, the Aperol Spritz is the best-known spritz variation.

What is Aperol?

The key component of its namesake spritz, Aperol is a bright orange, low-proof, bittersweet spirit made from gentian rhubarb, and cinchona, among other ingredients, that’s been made in Padua since 1919. It’s a type of bitter liqueur that Italians call amaro (or, literally, “bitter”.)  Because Aperol is sweeter and less bitter than other amaro it’s very approachable for newcomers. It’s occasionally called “training wheels for Campari.”

How Do I Make an Aperol Spritz?

Ingredients

  • Ice
  • 2 ounces Aperol
  • 3 ounces prosecco
  • ½ ounce of club soda
  • Slice of orange, for garnish

Directions

Fill a large wine glass or rocks glass with. Add the Aperol, then the prosecco, and then top with the club soda. Give it a gentle stir, and garnish with the orange slice.

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