Hugo Spritz

A Hugo Spritz is a refreshing Italian cocktail originating from Trentino Alto-Adige. It's bubbly and light made with Prosecco, elderflower liqueur, mint leaves and garnished with slices of lemon. The solid drink for summer!

Although the Hugo Spritz comes from the northern Italian region of Trentino Alto-Adige our first experience of it was on the Amalfi coast.

Instead of lemon wedges, our glass was full of ripe summery nectarines and it was such a good and refreshing drink after a long hot day of sightseeing.

Although our go-to aperitivo is more on the bitter side (Hello Aperol Spritz) the Hugo Spritz is refreshing and screams summer. If you're not a fan of bitter drinks then this may be the one for you.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Elderflower liqueur – the most commonly used liqueur is St Germain (pictured above). It's easy to find and the bottle is beautiful.
• Prosecco – you could use other sparkling wines for this but Prosecco is our favourite.
• Soda water – any sparkling water will do it's a splash.
• Mint leaves – fresh mint leaves are not only for show they add a lot of freshness to this cocktail.
• Lemon slices – although you can also use lime we prefer lemon slices. The lemon is important for cutting through the sweetness of the elderflower…it makes a difference!

Make it an Aperitivo!

In true Italian style, you can't have a cocktail without some nibbles. See some of our favourite light bites to pair with your cocktail.

• Taralli Pugliesi (crispy Italian bread snack)
• Easy Marinated Olives – Ready In 5 Minutes
• Italian Tuna Stuffed Cherry Peppers
• Pizza Pinwheels with Prosciutto and Gorgonzola
• Fried Sage Leaves with Anchovies

More Italian cocktails to try

Drinks

Venetian Select Spritz

Drinks

Giostra d'Alcol (Italian Red Wine Spritz)

Drinks

Classic Negroni Cocktail

Drinks

Sparkling Limoncello Cocktail

Ingredients

Makes 1 cocktail

• 1 oz (30ml) Elderflower liqueur (we used St Germain)
• 4 oz (120ml) Prosecco
• 1 oz (30ml) soda water
• 1 sprig fresh mint leaves
• 1 slice of lemon
• ice

Method

1. Fill a large wine glass with ice. Add the elderflower liqueur followed but the Prosecco.

2. Add the soda water and stir to combine.

3. Add the sprig of mint and lemon wedge and serve.

Kitchen notes

• Don't skip the lemon and mint as it helps cut through the sweetness of the elderflower.
• You can use lime instead of lemon or why not try the version we had in the Amalfi Coast and add slices of ripe nectarines.
• Add more elderflower to taste or Prosecco for a more subtle hint.