How To Make A The Venetian Spritz

Despite the ubiquity of the Aperol Spritz, by most accounts, the Venetian Spritz — made with Select Aperitivo — is the drink that pioneered the “Spritz” category as we know it today.

Before bitter liqueurs were mixed with wine and soda, Spritz was a term prescribed to diluted wine. In the 1800s, Austrians in Italy’s Veneto region found local wines too strong, and thus diluted their glasses with a splash — or “spritz” in German — of still water. By the turn of the century, soda water became a bar staple across Italy. The phenomenon, coupled with the increasing availability of white wine and the 1920 introduction of Select Aperitivo, created the perfect storm that birthed the modern Spritz. To this day, Select Aperitivo’s slogan is “The Original Venetian Spritz Since 1920.” Albeit, Aperol debuted in 1919, but the brand didn’t run with Spritz-centric marketing as early as Select did. In the latter half of the 20th century, Prosecco took the place of still white wine in the tried-and-true Spritz formula, and the addition of ice became commonplace, turning the cocktail into a long drink.

Although Select resembles Campari in color, its profile is more akin to that of Aperol, and its 17.5 percent ABV strikes a happy medium between the two. Flavor-wise, Select is slightly sweet, fruity, but retains that touch of bitterness we associate with amari. And just like many other Italian liqueurs, its exact ingredients are a company secret, though the brand has revealed two of its alleged 30 botanicals: juniper berries and rhubarb. For those who have grown accustomed to enjoying their Spritzes gussied up with a large orange wheel, the drink’s green olive garnish may seem unorthodox, but it’s not a proper Venetian Spritz without it.