Ah, the wine spritzer. The drink has been around forever, and contrary to popular belief, it's not just a beverage for crazy elder family members, Sunday brunches, or van driving soccer moms. Hear us out: spritzers are fun, light, easy to tailor to your taste preferences, and you can pre-make them in large quantities before pouring them out for friends and family while social distancing outdoors. And, with tons of recipes with delicious ingredients, spritzers are a fun and exciting way to add bubbles to your wine with a splash of club soda, seltzer, or sparkling water.
The perfect mix of cold wine and bubbles, spritzers are simply one of the most refreshing drinks and ideal for hot days and occasions where drinking shouldn't get you...well, drunk. And, on the bright side, you can milk a wine spritzer for twelve hours and still be able to function. Talk about a win.
Now that the weather is getting warmer, we're going to dedicate this article to bringing attention to the drink, as it deserves.
How to Make a Classic White Wine Spritzer
The best part about the white wine spritzer is that it's refreshingly basic and easy to make. Seriously, a chimp could make us one, and frankly, that's something we'd like to see. (Of course, assuming the chimp wanted to make us the drink, we're not into forced animal labor.) The simple recipe mixes chilled white wine with club soda and ice cubes. And since it's so uncomplicated, the possibilities are seriously endless. Whatever you have lying around can be a delicious addition to the fun, bubbly drink.
When making a wine spritzer, pick a wine that you enjoy. Bad wine should never be used in a spitzer because it won't get better with a bubbly splash of club soda. Usually, the best varieties for spritzer are wines with lots of fruity flavors, mild on tannins, and are filled with potent aromatic qualities. Specifically, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Moscato are all great selections for a refreshing cocktail! Also, try to avoid using premixed spritzers. You know, the ones where all you have to add is the wine. In general, these spritzers are weirdly artificial and don't make for the best cocktails. For large batches, try using magnums or boxed wines.
As you start to make more and more spritzers, you'll begin creating your cocktail recipe that fits your cravings. The only key to a good spritzer is creating a balance between the wine, bubbles like carbonated water or lemon-lime soda, and other ingredients like watermelon. Essentially, your goal is to prevent non-alcoholic ingredients from stealing the spotlight!
While we think spritzers only using wine, soda and garnishes are delightful; however, you can always take your spritzer up a notch if you're feeling adventurous. The truth is, the most iconic and well-loved spritzers rarely use club soda and instead use a combination of liqueurs with sparkling wines for a complex cocktail that tastes incredible but perhaps isn't as strong as the more overwhelming cocktails, such as a Long Island Iced tea. Bitters, liqueurs, and citrus fruit add aromatic characteristics, which are incredibly refreshing with mild wines like Grüner Veltliner. For example, an Aperol Spritz and French 75 are great examples that combine sparkling wine with aromatic but slightly bitter liqueur with a hint of acid for an incredibly refreshing summer drink.
When to Drink a White Wine Spritzer
Want to lay by the pool or beach all day but not get sloppy? Make yourself a wine spritzer.
What Kind of Wine Works Best?
Usually, the most desirable varieties for spritzers are Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Grenache. All four wines have rich aromatic qualities, lots of fruity flavor, and very mild tannins.
Fun Twists on A Classic
Because it is super easy to make and incredibly versatile, you can mix up a festive version of this drink in no time at all! Moreover, people occasionally spike their spritz and things like elderflower or orange liqueur, or even tequila.
An easy way to add a little spark and fun into your spritzer is with a garnish. Scope out the fruit selection at your local farmers market or grocery store, pick a fruit that's currently in-season and then incorporate the fruits into your drink. Any fruit will bring a little more fun and life into a spritzer. In addition to bringing joy, fruit also gives your spritzer a bit more flavor! Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, and grapefruits are options that will never go wrong. Plus, fresh berries, cherries, melons, and pineapple are another option for a delightful twist!
Want to try some of our favorite, not-so-traditional warm weather spritzer recipes? Grab a bottle of wine, a couple of wine glasses, and check out these recipes below!
April at Girl Gone Gourmet's Margarita Wine Spritzer: Didn't see this coming, did you? It's a wine spritzer with an unexpected margarita twist that's incredibly easy to make and ridiculously refreshing on a hot day!
This recipe is easy to adjust to your taste preferences, depending on how sweet and tart you want it.
Glam.com's Pumpkin Spice Wine Spritzer: A festive spritzer that is absolutely perfect for Fall and all of our pumpkin lovers. Not too sweet and far from bitter, pumpkin spice is the unexpected but delightful twist on the classic wine spritzer. Oh, and the best part: it's super easy to make! With white wine, pumpkin syrup, spiced rum, and some garnish, you'll have yourself a delightful cocktail in nearly no time!
Spritz It Up!
Regardless of how you take your wine spritzer, we're sure you'll have a delightful time. And, if you want to cut out any of the prep work but want something enjoyably fizzy, might we suggest Bev? Sure, it's not a spritzer, but it does have all of the best qualities you'll find in a spritzer. Namely, we're fizzy wine. And we have one major thing on a spritzer: we have ZERO sugar! And we come in four different varieties: Bev Rose, Bev Gris, Bev Blanc, and our latest lady, Bev Noir. All are equally as sassy and the fizziest of fizzy drinks out there! Oh, and good news, we come to you! Check out our shipping options!
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