Sparkling Rose Aperol Spritz

Who needs a drink?! I don’t know about you, but these crazy times at home have most certainly called for an extra one or two these days! I have taken it upon myself to do some cocktail testing for my readers. Isn’t that nice of me?! 😉 Today, I am sharing a recipe for a Sparkling Rose Aperol Spritz just in time for spring or summer.

The first time I ever had an Aperol Spritz was with one of my longtime, best friends, Heidi, at The White House Tavern in Aspen, Colorado (my favorite restaurant there!). We go there every time I visit her for their Kale Salad, their EPIC Chicken Sandwich, and an Aperol Spritz. They make their Aperol Spritz with grapefruit juice as a nice spin. It is so refreshing.

Us…at the White House Tavern…enjoying our Spritzs’!

Heidi is a brilliant cook and a constant entertainer! We are like frick and frack in the kitchen and she has been an inspiration to me as long as I have known her. You can see the Simple Spring Table Setting we put together for a sushi party she was hosting at their home in Aspen on a recent visit HERE. We raised our babies together and are now watching our baby girls graduate from high school this year. Aren’t they adorable?!

This is us taking our peanuts to the Nutcracker during Christmas in 2012!

Now…onto the recipe…A classic french Aperol Spritz has only three ingredients…Prosecco or Champagne, Aperol, and club soda. Super simple. Wondering what Aperol is?? Aperol is an orange Italian liqueur that is full of flavor with a tad bit of bitterness. And, it helps create the most beautiful color in any cocktail where you use it.

How to make this Aperol Spritz

The first thing I will recommend is using a large wine glass. I am using our Riedel Vinum Cabernet Wine Glasses for this cocktail. You really need a large vessel…this drink requires a good amount of ice.

For the last couple of years, I have become obsessed with Sparkling Rose, especially for a nice lunch out or with light dinners. It was a perfect substitute for the Prosecco or Champagne.

For this recipe, I am trying a new Sparkling Rose that was gifted to me recently. This Rose is made by Integrale Wines in Northern Italy. Their unfiltered, organic wine is produced with grapes that are 100% pesticide and herbicide-free, which makes me feel really good about enjoying it. If you are an avid wine drinker like we are, then you might want a few details on this wine. You can find it HERE.

---

With hot summer nights coming soon, this is a great cocktail option for any outdoor entertaining or to just treat yourself!

Fun story…after I made these drinks for this post, I realized that I had two large cocktails with no one to drink them with. I hurriedly texted my neighbors to come over and sit on our front porch to share the drinks I had just made.

We sat in a circle in lawn chairs 10 feet apart so that we could enjoy some social time while “distancing ourselves socially”. We decided to do a progressive “happy hour” in the coming weeks where neighbors share their own special cocktails with the rest of us in the same scenario. How fun is that?!

For another cocktail idea, stop by my recent post of a Vodka Charleston Fizz. And, during this time of illness, I also shared a recipe for a DIY Homemade Hand Sanitizer you can make at home. Plus, if you would like an idea for a simple and savory snack to serve with cocktails, try my Roasted Rosemary Marcona Almonds (also inspired by Heidi!).

I am grateful that you stopped by to learn more about this refreshing Sparkling Rose Aperol Spritz. I have lots of time on my hand to be working on new recipes and will be sharing more later. My kids are home, but they are managing their own online learning, so I can get creative in our kitchen! Are you trying new recipes during this time?! CHEERS to you and to my dear Heidi!!