What is a Wine Spritzer and How to Make it?

Vintage Roots

A wine spritzer is the perfect refreshing drink to enjoy on a hot summer day, over a brunch with friends, or to chill with in the evening. They’re light, fun, and delicious, and because they’re mixed with fizzy water they’re milder than a regular glass of wine. What’s not to love?

Below, you’ll find out everything you need to know about what a spritzer is and how to make a spritzer. Wine spritzers are very easy to make, and we also include recipes for making spritzers – which can be made with white, red or rose wine depending on your preferences.

First off: What is a Spritzer?

Generally speaking, a spritzer is a chilled drink that’s usually made with white wine and carbonated/fizzy water, like soda water. You can use white, red or rose wine to make a spritzer, so it really depends what type of wine you like. Because they may also contain ice and are chilled, wine spritzers are popular drinks in the summer and when the weather is warmer.

Now let’s cover a bit more about what’s in a spritzer. A basic wine spritzer is made with three simple ingredients:

Spritzer Ingredient #1: Wine

Wine is the base of the spritzer and the most important ingredient. Red wine gives you a richer, deeper flavour, while white wines or rosé wines are lighter and fruitier. Choose your wine according to the type of flavour you want in your spritzer, and choose organic wine wherever possible of course.

Spritzer Ingredient #2: Soda Water

When most people make wine spritzers, they use regular soda or sparkling water. However, if you’re making a wine spritzer with a drier wine, you might consider using tonic water or lemonade. These sodas add a bit more flavour and sweetness to the spritzer.

Spritzer Ingredient #3: Ice

This is an optional ingredient. A spritzer is meant to be refreshing and chilled, so ice can make it even cooler, especially on a warm summer day.

what is a spritzer

A note about garnishes, other ingredients and glasses

You can get creative with garnishes for your spritzers. Lemon, herbs, pomegranate seeds … again it all comes down to what you prefer,  but a spritzer can indeed be a beautiful drink. Spritzers are most often served in a wine glass, although you could enjoy them in a tumbler or taller glass as well.

What is the best wine to use for a spritzer?

The true beauty of the spritzer is that it will work with any white wine varietal you have on hand. For whites, you can go with wines like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, or whatever other wine you prefer. Same with red and rosé spritzers – choose a red wine or rosé wine that you like for a spritzer. When it comes to how much wine and how much soda water to use, the good thing about spritzers is that you can vary them to suit your tastes. However, we recommend starting with a 3:1 pour of 1 part soda or water for every 3 parts of wine.

How to Make a Spritzer

Want to know how to make a spritzer? It’s actually a lot easier than you’d think!

How much wine and how much soda? While you can vary the ratio of your spritzer to fit your taste and a particular wine, it’s often best to begin with a 3:1 pour of 1 part soda or water for every 3 parts of wine.

Below, we’ve compiled a few of our favourite white wine, rosé wine, and red wine spritzer recipe drinks to try. Give them a whirl, and see whether they’re as delicious as we’ve promised.​

Classic White Wine Spritzer​ Recipe

what is a spritzer

If you enjoy the classic, this is the spritzer recipe for you. With the light, fruity white wine and a splash of club soda, it’s the perfect way to relax on a weekend.

Ingredients:

  • Organic white wine
  • Soda water
  • Ice

Preparation:

  1. Place the white wine into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes before mixing. (You wouldn’t want the ice to melt too quickly).
  2. Fill your wine glass halfway with ice (smaller pieces, not large chunks). Pour 125ml (small glass measure) of wine into the glass, add 40-60ml of soda water, and stir gently with a straw or stir-spoon. Garnish with a slice of lemon and enjoy.

Note: you can also use lemonade, tonic water or a blend of these and soda water … spritzers are very versatile.

Two Organic White Wine Ideas for a White Wine Spritzer

Classic Rosé Wine Spritzer Recipe

what is a spritzer - wine spritzer

Rosé wines are the perfect mid-point between heavy red wines and fruity white wines. If you’re looking for more flavour, rosé wines are definitely the way to go. This simple recipe will give you a delicious wine spritzer that’s perfect for a summer evening! And it looks great too!

Ingredients:

  • Rosé wine
  • Soda water
  • Ice

Preparation:

  1. Chill the wine 30 minutes before mixing.
  2. Fill your wine glass halfway with ice (smaller pieces, not large chunks). Pour 125ml (small glass measure) of wine into the glass, add 40-60ml of soda water, and stir gently with a straw or stir-spoon. Enjoy!

Two Organic Rosé Wine Ideas for a White Wine Spritzer

Classic Red Wine Spritzer​ Recipe

For those who like a richer, deeper flavour or if you only like red wines, a red wine spritzer is definitely your better option. The soda helps to soften the strong tastes, but you still want to use a lighter and fruitier wine to make this spritzer.

Ingredients:

  • Organic red wine
  • Soda water
  • Simple syrup to sweeten if needed
  • Ice

Preparation:

  1. Place the red wine in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes before mixing.
  2. Fill a glass halfway with ice (smaller pieces, not large cubes). Pour 125ml of red wine into the glass, add in 40-60ml of soda water, stir with a spoon or straw, and enjoy.

Two Organic Red Wine Ideas for a Red Wine Spritzer

The Original ‘Aperol’ Spritz​

what is a spritzer - you can also make organic aperol spritz

At the moment there isn’t an organic version of ‘Aperol’ but we stock a spritz from Walcher that we think is pretty much the same thing.

Ingredients:

Organic Spritz Ingredients

Why Spritzers?

Now that we know what a spritzer is, we get down to the really important question: ‘Why make spritzers?’ The answer is actually fairly simple:

  • They’re refreshing: A glass of chilled white wine is wonderfully relaxing, but it’s not always as cold and uplifting as a proper spritzer. If you need something to enjoy after a long day of work, there’s nothing that helps you to kick back like a spritzer.
  • They’re sweet or dry: You can make it your own perfect way to satisfy your cravings without overdoing it. Adjust the soda or lemonade and, combined with the rich flavours of the wine, and you have an amazing drink!
  • They’re light: If you drink two or three glasses of white or red wine, you’ll feel the effects! However, spritzers have been watered down, so it’s a milder drink. You can enjoy two or three spritzers without feeling such a strong buzz. It can also reduce your alcohol and calorie consumption too.
  • They’re versatile: Just like the wine itself, spritzers are a drink that can be served anywhere and at any time. They make the perfect drink for an outdoor summer party, a cocktail evening, a formal dinner, a garden party, or even a brunch. Because they’re light and refreshing, they are perfect for any event!

We at Vintage Roots can respect a spritzer, and we believe they’re one of the best drinks you can make with wine. If you’re looking for something new and creative to do with your bottle of wine, try spritzers.​

We hope you’ve enjoyed this blog post about what a spritzer is and how to make wine spritzers. Have any amazing spritzer recipes you want to share? Leave a comment below and let us know how we can make more delicious varied spritzers or check out our full range of organic wines to start making your spritzer today!

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