When we first visited Venice, years ago, we were so focused on seeing all the sites that we missed out on experiencing one of the city’s greatest treasures – the Select Spritz. Since we plan our trips around eating and drinking, we did plenty of both during that visit. But, if we happened to sip a Venetian spritz to wash down our cicchetti, we have no memories of the experience.

But, during our more recent visit to Italy’s City of Canals, we made up for lost aperitivo time. We started by sipping Select Spritzes during a food tour within hours of our arrival. We continued the fun by sipping more inside cicchetti bars and next to canals.

We loved Venice’s signature spritz so much that now we’re sipping Select Spritzes at home.

The Select Spritz is Venice’s signature spritz. It’s made with a 3:2:1 ratio of prosecco, Select Aperitivo,and sparkling water plus a green olive garnish. While it’s not as globally famous as other Italian cocktails, it’s THE spritz to sip in Venice.

We get why the Select Spritz is so popular in its home city. The Venetian aperitivo is refreshingly smooth without the Aperol’s bright sweetness or the Campari’s distinctive bitterness. Plus, its relatively low ABV (17.5%) means you can sip more than one during golden hour aperitivo sessions along the city’s numerous canals.

Whether you’re in Venice or at home, you need the following ingredients to craft a Select Spritz:

Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.

It’s easy to find Select Aperitivo in Venice. Not only is the low-alcohol liquor served at practically every cicchetti bar and bacaro, but it’s also sold at markets and liquor stores throughout the city.

Finding the red amaro outside Venice takes a bit more effort.

In the United States, you can buy Select Aperitivo at specialty liquor retailers across the country. In the UK, your options include Italian import retailers and online sites like Amazon UK and Master of Malt. Wherever you’re located, you can always ask you local liquor store to order a bottle if it’s not already on the shelf.

After you gather the required Select Spritz ingredients, the first step is to measure the Select Aperitivo and prosecco. Immediately pour both liquids into a wine glass after you measure them. We use a Japanese jigger for this step to ensure accurate measuerements and minimize spillage.

Buy a Japanese jigger from Amazon if you need a jigger or want an inexpensive upgrade.

Next, fill the wine glass half way with ice cubes.

Gently stir the two liquids with a bar spoon.

Top the glass with chilled sparkling water and garnish with a green olive.

Serve the crafted Select Spritz with additional green olives and other nibbles

Although Italy’s three iconic spritzes all follow the 3:2:1 spritz ratio rule and look fairly similar, they have the following unique flavor profiles:

• The Select Spritz is the most balanced of the three spritzes. It’s mildly bitter, lightly herbal and smooth enough to sip from dusk to dark.
• The Aperol Spritz is the sweetest and most citrusy of the three. Perhaps this is why the orange spritz has become a global happy hour favorite in recent years.
• The Campari Spritz is the boldest of the three. Its sharply bitter and intensely aromatic flavors make if a spritz that people either love or hate.

After drinking all three spritzes in both Italy and at home, we have different favorites. Daryl is a big fan of the more complex Campari Spritz while Mindi prefers sipping smooth-as-silk Select Spritzes. We both find the Aperol Spritz to be cloyingly sweet.

Don’t despair if you can’t find Select Aperitivo at your local liquor store. Instead, focus your efforts on making a different sparkling wine cocktail with a different amaro. These are our favorite spritzes to make and sip at home:

Discover 10 essential bar tools for the home mixologist.

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Daryl and Mindi Hirsch

The Select Spritz is Venice's signature cocktail. Learn how to craft one at home in just a few minutes.

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Daryl and Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.