The Venetian Spritz: A Complete History & Classic Recipe

Few cocktails capture a place the way the Venetian Spritz does. Light, sparkling, herbal, and sunlit, it is the distilled essence of Venice itself—its lagoons, its lazy afternoon rituals, its centuries-old café culture, and its unmistakable bitters. Before the modern Aperol Spritz became a global sensation, the Venetian Spritz was already the drink of locals, students, gondoliers, and café regulars who gathered in bàcari and piazzas for ombre (small glasses of wine) and cicchetti.

This is the real spritz—rustic, historic, bracing, refreshing, and deeply tied to Venetian identity.

I. Origins

The Earliest Spritz: A Venetian Birth Story

The spritz did not begin with Aperol. Nor with Select. Nor even with Prosecco.

Its roots lie in the 19th century, when Veneto—home to Venice, Padua, Trieste, and Verona—was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austrian soldiers, unaccustomed to the higher-alcohol Venetian wines, added a spritz (German for “splash”) of water to lighten them.

This simple blend of:

• still wine

• water

• optional bitters

…became the proto-spritz.

Enter the Venetian Version

Venice’s unique lagoon culture shaped its early spritzes. Local bitters, local wines, and local rituals evolved the spritz into what Venetians still drink today:

• Select Aperitivo (Venetian bitter, created 1919)

• Prosecco from Veneto

• Soda water

• Olive garnish—the Venetian signature

This last detail is critical: while the Aperol Spritz garnishes with orange, the true Venetian Spritz is traditionally garnished with a green olive, symbolizing Venice’s savory, briny palate.

Select: The Spirit of the Lagoon

Created in Castello, one of Venice’s historic districts, Select is the aperitivo spirit of Venice—more herbal, more complex, and slightly more bitter than Aperol. It contains 30 botanicals, including juniper and rhubarb root, and was designed forthe Venetian spritz.

Thus, when you drink a Venetian Spritz today, you’re tasting a century-old recipe born from the city’s own terroir.

II. Historical Evolution

From Workers’ Drink to Café Ritual

In early 20th-century Venice, spritzes were modest, everyday drinks enjoyed by locals in bàcari (traditional wine bars). They were:

• inexpensive

• low-ABV

• always served with cicchetti

• the perfect pause between work and dinner

Students, laborers, artists, and merchants drank them convivially—never with pretense.

After World War II: Prosecco Changes Everything

The introduction and popularization of sparkling Prosecco turned the spritz into a bright, effervescent cocktail. Venice, as the gateway to Veneto’s wine regions, adopted the sparkling spritz quickly.

Now the Venetian Spritz became:

• fizzy

• celebratory

• visually iconic

• endlessly customizable

Venetian Identity vs. Global Trend

When the Aperol Spritz went global in the 2010s, Venetians watched with a mix of pride and playful irritation. Their own spritz—the original spritz—used Select, not Aperol.

Today, many Venetians keep fidelity to:

• Select Spritz (the true Venetian classic)

• Campari Spritz (bitter and bold)

• Aperol Spritz (tourist favorite)

• Cynar Spritz (beloved among bartenders)

But only one is considered authentically Venetian: Select + Prosecco + Soda + Olive.

III. Ingredients & Technique

The Venetian Spritz is defined by clarity, simplicity, and botanical nuance.

1. The Bitter Component

The soul of the drink. Options:

Select Aperitivo (canonical choice)

• 1919 Venetian recipe

• More herbal than Aperol

• Gentler sweetness than Campari

• Notes: pine, juniper, bitter orange, rhubarb

Campari (bold version)

• Strong bitterness

• Deep red hue

• Great for drinkers who enjoy Negroni profiles

Aperol (tourist or modern preference)

• Light and sweet

• Citrus-forward

• Bright orange

2. Prosecco

Must be:

• dry (Brut or Extra Dry)

• properly chilled

• from the Veneto region if authenticity matters

3. Soda Water

A splash—not a drench—provides texture and lift.

4. Ice

Large, fresh cubes that do not melt quickly.

5. The Venetian Garnish

The green olive is non-negotiable for classic authenticity.

Why an olive?

Because:

• It adds savory depth

• It balances sweetness

• It ties into cicchetti culture

• Venetians have used it for generations

This makes the Venetian Spritz unmistakably Venetian.

6. Build Technique

The spritz is always built in-glass:

1. Add ice

2. Add bitter

3. Add Prosecco

4. Add soda

5. Garnish

Gentle assembly keeps bubbles and clarity intact.

IV. Cultural Significance

1. The Heart of Venetian Aperitivo

In Venice, aperitivo isn’t just pre-dinner—it's cultural glue. The spritz is part of:

• community rituals

• family gatherings

• post-work decompression

• student life

• sunset terrace moments

• lagoon-side cafés

The Venetian Spritz is not a luxury drink—it’s a daily pleasure.

2. A Drink That Moves With the City

Venice is pedestrian-only. Life unfolds slowly, intentionally. The spritz mirrors that rhythm:

• low ABV encourages lingering

• bitterness stimulates appetite

• bubbles keep it refreshing

• olive garnish encourages snacking

3. A Tourism Icon with Local Roots

While tourists often order Aperol, locals gently guide them toward Select. The divide is cultural, but not hostile—Venetians simply want to preserve their identity through their rituals.

4. A Piece of Veneto’s Landscape

Every component—Prosecco grapes, bitter liqueurs, olives—comes from the region. The Venetian Spritz is the terroir of Veneto rendered liquid.

V. How to Make the Classic Version Today

Recipe — The Classic Venetian Spritz

Ingredients

• 3 oz (90 ml) Prosecco

• 2 oz (60 ml) Select Aperitivo (or preferred bitter)

• 1 oz (30 ml) soda water

• Garnish: green olive

• Optional: orange twist (modern addition)

Method

1. Fill a large wine glass with ice.

2. Add Select Aperitivo.

3. Add Prosecco gently to maintain bubbles.

4. Add a splash of soda water.

5. Give one slow stir.

6. Garnish with a skewered green olive.

Specs

• Glass: Large wine glass

• Ice: Large full cubes

• Garnish: Green olive (authentic), orange twist (optional)

• Style: Sparkling Venetian aperitivo

Technique Notes

• Use very cold Prosecco for ideal effervescence.

• Add Prosecco before soda for better balance.

• Use fewer bubbles for a more bitter-forward version.

• For a stronger spritz, increase bitter to 2.5 oz.

Variations & Lineage

• Campari Spritz: More bitter, iconic red.

• Aperol Spritz: Sweeter, more citrus.

• Cynar Spritz: Vegetal, beloved by bartenders.

• Venetian Rosato Spritz: Use pink Prosecco and a floral bitter.

• White Venetian Spritz: Use a bianco aperitivo for herbal elegance.

Service & Pairing Tips

Perfect with cicchetti such as:

• baccalà mantecato

• fried sardines

• olives & anchovies

• polpette (meatballs)

• crostini with whipped ricotta

• tramezzini

Serve outdoors whenever possible.

VI. Modern Variations & Legacy

A Spritz With Cultural Depth

The Venetian Spritz is more than a fad or a trend. It is:

• an heirloom cocktail

• a place-based ritual

• a living expression of Venetian identity

• a symbol of simplicity and regional pride

Why It Will Endure

• Its ingredients are timeless.

• Its structure is perfect for customization.

• Its flavor profile is universally appealing.

• Its cultural story is unmatched.

In a world searching for authentic, regional food and drink traditions, the Venetian Spritz stands tall—bitter, sparkling, refreshing, and unmistakably Venetian.