The classic spritz cocktail is one you absolutely need in your home bartending arsenal. There are a few different ways to make a spritz, but we think our Grapefruit Spritz will be your new favorite summer cocktail!

What is a Spritz?

A spritz is a cocktail made with prosecco, a bitter liqueur, and a splash of soda water. It originated in Italy and it’s traditionally a pre-dinner drink. The bitter ingredient – called an aperitivo – is usually something like Aperol, Campari, Cynar, or Lillet.

The purpose of an aperitivo (also known as aperitif) as part of a pre-dinner cocktail is to stimulate the appetite with its dry, bitter nature. Italians often enjoy a spritz with a small snack before their larger evening meal.

We were gifted a bottle of Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo to taste and create our own spritz for summer. And it’s one of our new favorites!

About Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo

First of all, how gorgeous is this apothecary-style bottle? I just like looking at it on my bar. It feels like summer!

Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo is made by the family-run Torino Distillati in Piedmont, Italy, the birthplace of aperitivo. After the grapes are harvested, herbs and botanicals such as elderflower, coriander, cloves, thyme, grapefruit and lemon peel are added. After 30 days in the still, the botanicals are extracted and the liquid distilled. It’s then mixed with wine and rested in stainless steel for six months. The final step is chill filtration before bottling.

This aperitivo is refreshing and delightful. It’s only 17% ABV, which is perfect for a pre-dinner drink or happy hour by the pool.

Grapefruit Spritz Recipe

We paired Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo with Prosecco and grapefruit soda for a super-refreshing cocktail that’s simple as 1-2-3 to make! You can measure the ingredients, but this cocktail is just as easy to eyeball.

Just pour 3 oz chilled Prosecco, 2 oz Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo, and 1 oz grapefruit soda into a glass over ice and garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

This Rosé Aperitivo would also be wonderful in cocktails such as the Bellini (add Prosecco and peach purée), the Paper Plane (add bourbon, amaro, and lemon juice), and the Naked & Famous (add mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, and lime juice). I’ll definitely be trying some of these out soon!

Grapefruit Spritz

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

Light and refreshing, the Grapefruit Spritz is perfect for a day by the pool or pre-gaming before a night out!

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Ingredients

• 1 oz Grapefruit soda
• 2 oz Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo
• 3 oz Prosecco
• Slice of grapefruit
• Ice

Instructions

1. Pour all ingredients in a glass over ice.
2. Garnish with grapefruit slice.
3. Please drink responsibly.

The post Grapefruit Spritz {Your New Favorite Summer Cocktail!} appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

When it comes to big-batch beverages for your party, Sangria is one of the most fun and flexible. With fresh cranberries and a ginger kick, our Ginger Pear Sangria recipe is unique, delicious and gorgeous! And the presentation just screams “Christmas.”

There are so many ways to make a sangria. Most involve wine, fruit, brandy, and some type of fizz. Often thought of as a summer drink, we think our Ginger Pear Sangria is best in the fall or winter. It blends the spicy kick of ginger with a rich pear syrup. Throw in some cranberries and it’s perfect for Christmas!

The fizz in our sangria recipe comes from Franklin & Sons ginger beer. Franklin & Sons products were first introduced in Britain in 1886 and the Franklin brothers quickly established themselves as experts in creating authentic, high quality recipes made from delicious hand-picked ingredients. The foundation of the Franklin & Sons tonic and mixer range is Staffordshire water and the finest British sugar with the highest carbonation possible to lift the most delicate botanicals of any spirit.

They have recently launched their tonic and mixer line in the USA and they can be found at your local Fresh Market! They have club soda, tonic water, ginger beer, ginger ale, and more.

We were gifted some samples of Franklin & Sons products and were delighted by the taste and the extra-fizziness of their mixers. Their ginger beer especially caught our attention. It’s not overly spicy like some ginger beers and it has a distinct lemon flavor that we thought would be perfect for sangria.

We happened to be planning a small holiday get-together, so we set to work creating this Christmas sangria and an awesome charcuterie board to pair with it.

How to Make Ginger Pear Sangria

To make our sangria, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 2 bottles of dry white wine (we used Dark Horse Pinot Grigio)
• 2 oz pear simple syrup (we made ours with 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white sugar for a richer taste)
• 2 oz ginger liqueur (we used Domaine de Canton)
• 12 oz ginger beer (we used Franklin & Sons)
• 3 pears, sliced
• 1 bag of fresh cranberries

Pour the wine, pear simple syrup, and ginger liqueur into a large pitcher or punch bowl and stir. Wash and slice your pears into thin slices. Add the pears and cranberries to the sangria. Pour in the ginger beer and stir again. Keep cold in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

When it’s time to serve, pour the sangria into a glass and top off with a little fresh ginger beer. Enjoy!

Ginger Pear Sangria

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

A unique and beautiful sangria that is perfect for your party!

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Ingredients

• 2 bottles of dry white wine (we used Dark Horse Pinot Grigio)
• 2 oz pear simple syrup (we made ours with 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white sugar for a richer taste)
• 2 oz ginger liqueur (we used Domaine de Canton)
• 12 oz ginger beer (we used Franklin & Sons)
• 3 pears, sliced
• 1 bag of fresh cranberries

Instructions

1. Mix the wine, pear syrup, ginger liqueur, and ginger beer in a large pitcher or punch bowl. Mix well.
2. Add sliced pears and cranberries, and chill for at least an hour.
3. When serving, top each glass off with a little fresh ginger beer.
4. Please drink responsibly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 256Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 12mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 2gSugar: 29gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

The post Ginger Pear Sangria Recipe appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

Cranberries are the flavor of the holiday season. So instead of the traditional orange juice mimosa on Christmas morning, mix up this simple and delightful Cranberry Pomegranate Sparkler. It’s also perfect for Valentine’s Day or brunch any time of year!

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Essential Ingredient: Cranberry Simple Syrup

We here at Spilling Tequila are big fans of Royal Rose Organic Simple Syrups. Their products are organic, non-GMO, and gluten-free, with ingredients locally sourced near their Newcastle, Maine facility. Each syrup is made with raw sugars, farm-fresh ingredients, and without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

We do love to make our own simple syrups, but Royal Rose has some unique flavor profiles that are tougher to duplicate (like the Hot Ginger Lime we used in this Hot Ginger Mule!).

Their Cranberry Spice is perfect for all your fall and winter holiday drinks. It’s tart and warm and mixes well with whiskey and vodka. It also makes a stellar sparkling cocktail.

Cranberry Pomegranate Sparkler Recipe 

To make this drink, you’ll need 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds, 1 ounce of Royal Rose Cranberry Spice Organic Simple Syrup, and chilled Prosecco.

The hardest part of making this drink is getting those fresh seeds out of the pomegranate. Yep, it’s messy, but fresh ingredients are SO worth it.

Once you’ve liberated the pomegranate seeds from their captivity, put about 1/4 cup of seeds in measuring cup (or any other wide-mouthed container) and add 1 ounce of the Cranberry Spice syrup. Muddle well to release the pomegranate juice.

Give the mixture a stir and then strain into a glass. For this drink, you’ll want to use a champagne flute, a large coup glass or any sparkling wine glass. We chose this gorgeous glass not thinking about how big it was and ended up pouring half a bottle of Prosecco into one drink!!! Oops! I’d recommend one the smaller ones above.

Once you’ve strained into the perfect glass, top off the Cranberry Pomegranate Sparkler with Prosecco and garnish with some pomegranate seeds and a cinnamon stick. If you opt for giant glassware – you may want to double up on the pomegranate/syrup mixture to maximize the fruity flavor.

Cranberry Pomegranate Sparkler

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Instead of the traditional orange juice mimosa on Christmas morning, mix up this refreshing Cranberry Pomegranate Sparkler.

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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
• 1 oz Royal Rose Cranberry Spice Simple Syrup
• Chilled Prosecco

Instructions

1. Combine pomegranate seeds and cranberry spice syrup in a measuring cup (or other container) and muddle well.
2. Strain into a glass and top with chilled Prosecco.
3. Garnish with a few pomegranate seeds and a cinnamon stick.
4. Please drink responsibly!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 180Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

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