Italian Aperol Spritz with Prosecco, Blood Orange, Fresh Rosemary and Mediterranean Olives

Ingredients

• 3 oz Aperol
• 3 oz dry Prosecco DOC
• 1 oz sparkling water
• Ice (large cubes preferred)
• 1 slice blood orange (or regular orange)
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• For serving alongside:
• A small dish of Castelvetrano olives
• Crostini with cream cheese

Instructions

1. Chill a large wine glass (the big balloon-style Venetian glass is traditional) in the freezer for 5 minutes. A cold glass keeps the drink effervescent longer.
2. Fill the chilled glass generously with large ice cubes — big cubes melt slowly and don't dilute the drink.
3. Pour the Prosecco first: 3 oz directly over the ice. Always add the Prosecco before the Aperol — this order helps the three components layer naturally.
4. Add the Aperol: pour it over the back of a spoon held just above the surface to slow the pour and encourage gentle layering. Watch the brilliant amber-orange of the Aperol drift through the golden Prosecco.
5. Add the splash of sparkling water. This is the classic 3-2-1 ratio: 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol, 1 part sparkling water.
6. Stir very gently once or twice — just enough to combine, not enough to lose the effervescence.
7. Garnish with a half-slice of blood orange on the rim and a sprig of rosemary. The rosemary adds an unexpected herbal aroma that lifts the bittersweet Aperol beautifully.
8. Serve immediately alongside olives and crostini. The Aperol Spritz was born in the Veneto region of northern Italy and has become the defining drink of Italian aperitivo hour — refreshing, slightly bitter, and endlessly elegant.