The best prosecco for an Aperol Spritz
Most Spritz cocktails served abroad fail for one reason: the prosecco is too sweet. The bitter from Aperol or Campari needs a dry, clean base. That's where Prosecco Pietro DOC Brut comes in — Italian Brut da Tera e da Mar with deliberately low residual sugar.
Which prosecco should you use for a Spritz?
A real Aperol Spritz needs a Brut, not an Extra Dry. The naming is misleading: in prosecco vocabulary, "Dry" means sweet and "Extra Dry" means somewhere in between. Only Brutis genuinely dry — and within Brut there's a huge spread.
Italian DOC rules allow a Brut prosecco to go up to 12 grams of sugar per litre. Most industrial brands push very close to that limit, because slightly-sweet prosecco sells better on mass market. Prosecco Pietro sits well below the category average — a real Brut, not a Brut in name only.
The classic Spritz recipe
The IBA-codified Aperol Spritz, the one served in Venetian bacari:
- 3 parts Prosecco Pietro DOC Brut
- 2 parts Aperol (or Campari for the original Venetian variant)
- 1 splash of soda water
- Plenty of ice in a chilled wine glass
- Orange slice for garnish
Pour the prosecco first, then the Aperol, then the soda. This isn't superstition: pouring in this order preserves the perlage, which is the signature of a properly made Spritz.
Why Prosecco Pietro works in a Spritz
1. Sugar below the category average
Aperol is already sweet (around 110 g/l of sugar). If the prosecco is also at the sweet end of Brut, the drink becomes flat and cloying. Prosecco Pietro keeps the Spritz dry and crisp, even on the second or third round.
2. Fine, persistent perlage
The bubbles last all the way down. They don't collapse the moment they meet the liqueur, which is what happens with cheap base-wine prosecco.
3. From land and sea (da Tera e da Mar)
Venetian vineyards, sea breeze on the grapes, no shortcuts. The Spritz you make with it tastes like the one served in a real Venetian bacaro — not the one from a supermarket-rack bottle. Fear of no one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Extra Dry prosecco for a Spritz?
You can, but we don't recommend it. Extra Dry has 12–17 g/l of residual sugar and makes the Spritz heavy. Choose a real Brut — ideally one with below-average sugar like Prosecco Pietro.
Aperol or Campari Spritz?
Aperol is sweeter and orange-red (around 11% ABV). Campari is bitter and ruby-red (around 20-25% ABV). Historically Venetians use Campari (the original "Venetian Spritz"); Aperol won the mass-market because of its sweeter, more accessible profile.
How cold should the prosecco be for a Spritz?
Between 6 and 8 °C (43-46 °F). Any colder and you lose the aromas. Any warmer and the Spritz turns into something flat and warm.