After polling dozens of mixologists around the country, “Better Homes & Gardens“ magazine predicted back in May that the drink of summer 2023 would be the Hugo Spritz. Other food/drink publications followed suit and I concur! I enjoyed my first Hugo Spritz, a cousin to the popular Aperol Spritz, on a sunny patio in Tuscany back in April. It was love at first sip.
Wine spritzes date back to the 1800s in the Veneto region of Northern Italy as a means to combat the summertime heat and humidity. The after work, a before-dinner spritz is now a long-established Italian tradition. A spritz is a great example of an aperitivo, or pre-meal drink, intended to stimulate your appetite before your main meal. Enjoying a drink and small appetizers or finger foods in the early evening is pretty much a daily occurrence in bars and cafes throughout Italy.
Popular spritz variations include the Aperol Spritz and the Campari Spritz, both made with digestive bitters, Italy’s own sparkling white wine, Prosecco, and soda water. The Hugo Spritz, on the other hand, replaces the herbal aperitif bitters with a sweet, citrusy elderflower liqueur, such as St-Germain, a French liqueur made with fresh elderflowers, hand-picked once a year in late spring. Every bottle of St-Germain contains up to 1000 elderflower blossoms.
It was a bartender named Roland Gruber who decided to switch out the Aperol and Campari for St-Germain back in 2005 in the town of Naturno along the Italian-Austrian border. Elderflower cordials are often made locally in that part of Italy by allowing flowers and sugar to ferment slowly in the sun. You can substitute elderflower syrup or another brand of elderflower liqueur for the St-Germain but the elderflower component is key to the Hugo Spritz; it’s what sets it apart from the others and creates a light, floral, bubbly, low-ABV drink.
For any spritz, the typical ratio is 3:2:1 – 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts liqueur/bitters, 1 part soda/sparkling water. For the Hugo Spritz, muddling a mint sprig and garnishing with a lemon or lime slice are the extra touches that make for a most excellent summertime porch sipper.
Hugo Spritz
For one spritz:
– 2 ounces St. Germain elderflower liqueur
– 1-2 sprigs mint
– Ice cubes
– 3 ounces chilled prosecco
– 1 ounce soda or sparkling water
– Lemon or lime wedge or slice
Put the elderflower liqueur and 1 mint sprig in a wine glass. Gently muddle and let sit for a couple minutes. Add ice, prosecco and sparkling water. Stir briefly to combine.
Garnish mint sprig and lemon or lime.
For a pitcher of spritz:
-2 cups St-Germain elderflower liqueur
– Ice cubes
– 1 750ml bottle Prosecco
– 1 cup soda water or sparkling water
– 8-12 lime or lemon slices
– Several mint sprigs
Pour the elderflower liqueur into a pitcher filled with ice cubes. Top with Prosecco and soda water and stir to combine. Garnish with fresh mint and slices of lime or lemon.
This article appears in Source Weekly June 15, 2023.
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