Campari Spritz: Best recipe

Campari Spritz, is a 3-ingredient Italian drink. It is the perfect drink for a warm summer’s day.

In this article, you will learn how to make the perfect Campari Spritz.

Campari Spritz video

What Is Campari?

Campari is a vibrant, ruby-red Italian bitter liqueur created in 1860 by Gaspare Campari in Novara, Italy.

It is a staple in classic cocktails and a popular apéritif worldwide.

Campari has intense herbal, orange and floral aromas with a pronounced bitter aftertaste.

While it does contain some sugar, Campari tastes dry and bitter and is a very potent drink when drunk neat.

Campari is known for its vibrant red color, and it is a component in many classic cocktails, such as the Negroni.

Campari Spritz ingredients

Campari Spritz is a simple 3-ingredient drink: Campari liqueur, Prosecco and soda water.

A bottle of Campari: Campari should be relatively easy to find in supermarkets and liquor stores.

There isn’t really an alternative to Campari that you can use instead; however, you could use another Italian liqueur, such as Aperol or Cynar.

They won’t taste the same though as they have very different flavor profiles.

To learn more about the differences between Cynar and Campari, see this article on Cynar vs Campari.

Prosecco: This Italian sparkling wine is traditionally used for Campari Spritz.

Look for a dry style of Prosecco, such as Brut.

Brut Prosecco does contain some sugar, but in my experience, it usually tastes dry (not sweet) because the sweetness from the sugar is balanced out by the acidity that is also in grape juice.

See this article on sweetness levels in Champagne and sparklng wine for more information on how to guage sweetness in Prosecco and other sparkling wines.

If you can afford it, look for DOCG Prosecco.

DOCG is the Italian version of Protected Domain of Origin (PDO) and it means the wine must be made to strict regulations and in a specific area.

DOCG is subject to stricter controls than than DOC Prosecco and is therefore considered to be higher quality.

If you can’t get Prosecco, you can use another sparkling wine, such as Crémant, Cava or whatever sparkling wine is local to you.

You can also use the ultimate sparking wine, Champagne, but it isn’t necesssary to spend this much money.

Soda water: I used Perrier to make my Campari Spritz, but any soda water will do the job. Look for San Pellegrino if you want to use something Italian.

Garnish: Garnish with a slice of orange.

Orange is the best garnish for this drink as it enhances the orange flavors in the Campari.

That said, you can experiment with other citrus fruits like lemon, lime, pink grapefruit.

Ice: Ensure to have lots of ice cubes on hand if you are going to make drinks for a group. Nobody wants lukewarm cocktails!

Fill the glass three quarters full with ice.

What Campari Spritz tastes like

As mentioned above, Campari tasted neat is an intensely flavored drink with bitter botanical and citrus notes. It has a medicine-like aroma to it that reminds me a little bit of cough syrup.

It is too potent for me personally to drink neat, but mixed with Prosecco and soda water with lots of ice it tastes refreshing with a hint of bitterness.

Prosecco, if you have never tried it, is a refreshing and lively drink with apple, melon and pear aromas and flavors.

The flavor of Campari Spritz depends on the recipe, especially the ratio of Campari used.

The classic spritz ratio is 3-2-1. So, for Campari Spritz that means 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Campari and 1 part soda water.

This is the ratio that I personally prefer, but see below for my thoughts on different Campari Spritz recipes.

Recipe variations for Campari Spritz

I tested out two different recipes commonly used to make Campari Spritz.

Campari Spritz using a 3-2-1 recipe

The 3-2-1 recipe is the classic ratio used for making a spritz:

• 3 parts Prosecco
• 2 parts Campari
• 1 part soda water

It is a classic recipe for a reason – using this recipe creates well-balanced flavors. The apple, melon, citrus and pear notes of the Prosecco come through well.

The Campari flavor is definitely there too, but it is more of a background note and gives the drink a pleasant bitter taste at the end.

This is the recipe I would recommend. It is refreshing and probably going to appeal to more people.

Campari Spritz using a 2-2-1 recipe

The 2-2-1 recipe uses less Prosecco making the Campari element of the drink stand out more:

• 2 parts Prosecco
• 2 parts Campari
• 1 part soda water

If you love Campari or are a fan of bitter liqueurs, you may prefer this recipe.

The Campari is definitely more prominent with this recipe and the Prosecco flavors don’t come through as much.

If you try it, and don’t like it, you can always add some more Prosecco to balance things out!

Campari Spritz alcohol content

A Campari Spritz, made using 3 oz Prosecco (11%), 2 oz Campari (25%) and 1 oz soda water, has an overall ABV of 11.5%, making Campari Spritz, a relatively low-alcohol cocktail option.

Prosecco is typically 11-12% ABV.

My calculation is made using the following formula:

(Total Alcohol Volume/Total drink Volume) x 100

Tips for making Campari Spritz

Follow these simple tips for the perfect Campari Spritz:

• You can use a large stemless wine glass for a modern look or a gin balloon glass. Alternatively, a regular wine glass or a highball glass will also work.
• Chill the ingredients in the fridge before making to ensure a cool, refreshing drink.

How to drink Campari Spritz

Campari Spritz is a refreshing summer drink to sip on before dinner or to serve at parties and celebrations.