Croatian Hugo Spritz with Prosecco, Elderflower Liqueur, Fresh Mint and Adriatic Lime

Chill the glass: place a large balloon wine glass or wide goblet in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. The Hugo is served in a wine glass — never a flute — to allow the aromatics to bloom in the wide bowl.

Ingredients

• 60ml (2 oz) elderflower liqueur — St. Germain or Croatian Aronia bazga liqueur preferred
• 120ml (4 oz) chilled Prosecco — substitute Croatian Plešivica sparkling wine
• 60ml (2 oz) chilled sparkling water
• 10-12 fresh spearmint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
• 2 thin Adriatic lime wheels — substitute regular lime
• 1 lime, juice of 1/4
• Plenty of ice cubes
• For garnish:
• Fresh elderflower sprig (in season) or edible flower
• Long lemon zest twist
• Crushed pink peppercorn (optional aromatic finish)

Instructions

1. Chill the glass: place a large balloon wine glass or wide goblet in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. The Hugo is served in a wine glass — never a flute — to allow the aromatics to bloom in the wide bowl.
2. Express the mint: place mint leaves in the bottom of the chilled glass. Gently press them with a muddler or wooden spoon — do not crush. The aim is to release the essential oils, not to bruise the leaves into a green mush. Bruised mint releases bitter chlorophyll.
3. Add lime: squeeze a quarter lime into the glass and drop in two lime wheels.
4. Add ice: fill the glass three-quarters with ice cubes. Use large clear cubes if possible — they melt slowly and keep the spritz crisp without diluting the wine.
5. Pour the elderflower liqueur: pour the elderflower liqueur over the ice. Gently stir with a barspoon for 5 seconds to chill the liqueur and lift the mint and lime to the top.
6. Top with Prosecco: tilt the glass and pour the cold Prosecco slowly down the side to preserve the bubbles. Stop when the wine just covers the ice.
7. Top with sparkling water: finish with a splash of cold sparkling water — this lifts the drink and ensures it is not too sweet. Do not stir again — the bubbles must remain.
8. Garnish and serve: tuck a fresh mint sprig into the top of the glass, add a fresh elderflower if available, and twist a long lemon peel over the surface to express oils before dropping it in. Crush a single pink peppercorn between your fingers and dust it across the foam for a subtle floral finish.
9. Taste: the Croatian Hugo should be light, dry, and intensely floral — the elderflower is the leading note, supported by mint and brightened by lime. It is a far drier and more savory drink than its Italian cousin the Aperol Spritz, and is the signature aperitivo of the Croatian Adriatic coast.
10. The Hugo Spritz was invented in 2005 by South Tyrolean bartender Roland Gruber in the small village of Naturns as a lighter alternative to the orange-bitter Aperol Spritz. It crossed the Adriatic to Croatia within a few years and became the dominant summer cocktail of coastal cities Split, Hvar, Dubrovnik and Rovinj. Croatia adopted the drink with two significant local twists: it is often made with Plešivica sparkling wine from the inland hills above Zagreb instead of Prosecco, and Croatian bartenders frequently use Aronia berry or elderflower (bazga) infusions tapped from the wild trees that line the Dalmatian coast every June. The Croatian summer ritual of sipping a Hugo on a sun-bleached terrace overlooking the Adriatic islands is one of the country's most exported cultural images.