Think of spritzes and the Italian classics flash to mind. The most famous of them all is the orange-hued Aperol spritz, a slightly sweet aperitif with a bitter bite that originated in northern Italy. But along the Amalfi Coast, where lemons grow as large as grapefruits, the summertime sipper of choice is a limoncello spritz. It’s tart and bright, and comes together easily with a combination of limoncello, prosecco, and soda water served in oversized wine glasses on ice and garnished with juicy lemons. These iconic Italian spritzes provide solid inspiration for wine-based cocktails you can make on your own for an at-home happy hour. Loosely defined, a spritz has three building blocks: Something bubbly, something bitter, and a splash of soda, which give bartenders ample creative freedom to concoct effervescent porch pounders and poolside sips. Here are seven refreshing riffs on spritzes that bartenders love for warm-weather drinking. Read more...
