I first encountered the Hugo Spritz while on a ski trip in the Dolomites of Northern Italy years ago. And while winter isn’t the classic season for enjoying this refreshing spritzer, I couldn’t get enough of it. I began practicing making them at home, and by the time summer rolled around, I had perfected the Hugo Spritz recipe! With just a few minutes of work, you’ll have a refreshing summery cocktail as good as the stuff on the Amalfi coast! Let’s do this.
Hugo Spritz Ingredients
Mint and Lime: Refreshing mint and zesty lime slices are the ingredients that set the Hugo Spritz apart from other spritzes! Elderflower Syrup: Floral, sweet, and delicious! You can either make elderflower syrup yourself or buy it online. You can also use elderflower liqueur here, like St-Germain. Prosecco: A dry sparkling white wine from the town of Prosecco in Northern Italy. I always go with an affordable bottle of bubbly form Kirkland! Sparkling/Seltzer Water: You can use either, as they’re about the same thing. Seltzer was a German brand of sparkling water whose popularity transformed it into a generic trademark kind of like “Kleenex”. Club soda, however, is different – don’t use club soda. Ice: Hugos are best served ice cold (bonus points if you use edible flower ice cubes!)
How to make the perfect hugo spritz
Step 1: MuddleBriefly muddle the mint and lime in your wine glass with ice (or rub the mint between your palms to really get the oils moving)! Step 2: AssembleAdd your elderflower syrup to each glass… …and then your Prosecco… …and finish with a splash of sparkling water or soda water! Add a mint sprig to each glass as garnish (great for using up all that garden-fresh mint!) Step 3: ServeBriefly stir to combine then serve (be sure to garnish with fresh mint). For extra zhuzh, use edible flower ice cubes! Instant summer in a glass.
