Campari Spritz

A Campari spritz recipe is a personal thing. Some like theirs sweeter, others just faintly flavored with the iconic Italian aperitivo. In general, a spritz made with Campari will have a drier profile than spritz made with Aperol and offer more bitter flavors. We love the proportions below—the 3-1-1 ratio is so easy that you’ll likely memorize it after the first try.

Consider this recipe a starting template. If you crave a richer version, top your Campari spritz with more of the bright red bittersweet aperitif; or, if you prefer a lighter predinner drink (or find that your sparkling wine is a bit sweet), pour in a bit more soda water. For maximum carbonation, start with chilled bubbles and don’t stir too aggressively: A single tour around the glass will do. While you can tweak the ratios to your taste, the order of operations matters. Campari is heavier than wine and sparkling water: Add it first and it will simply sink to the bottom of the glass. But start with a pillow of sparkling wine—pick any dry prosecco, domestic sparkling, Crémant, or Cava that you’d be willing to drink on its own—and you’ll encourage the drink to mix all on its own. You could also experiment with other aperitivi and amari: Keep it rosy-red with herbal Bitteroma, gentle Cappelletti, or your favorite locally made aperitivo, or go bolder with an amaro like Cynar. You can even combine two different bottlings in one drink as long as the total measure of bitter liqueur remains the same.

The Campari spritz is great with salty snacks, which is why some enjoy it with an olive garnish. But an orange slice or grapefruit wedge makes for a juicier drink that boasts a certain freshness. Want the citrusy aroma without the extra sweetness? Twist an orange peel over the glass and drop it in.

Got extra Campari on hand? Try it in a Frozen Garibaldi, Frozen Negroni, Negroni Sbagliato, or an Americano. Or, check out more Campari cocktail recipes at Epicurious.