Amaro Spritz

Cynar is the usual pick, more savory than sharply bitter once the bubbles hit it. Montenegro pushes orange and rose, Nonino leans toward grape and caramel, Ramazzotti tastes faintly of cola. Anything moderately sweet and under 20 percent works. Save the Fernet for something else.

No, and don't waste good Champagne on it. Any dry sparkling wine does the job, cava included, because the amaro dominates regardless. Go brut rather than extra dry unless your amaro is on the punishing end, in which case a little residual sugar helps.

Considerably. Aperol sits at 11 percent while most amari run somewhere between 16 and 35, so an identical 60 ml pour can more than double the alcohol. It tastes gentler than it is, because bitterness reads to most palates as restraint rather than strength.

Ice first, and fill the glass properly. A half-empty glass of cubes melts fast and waters everything down within minutes. Amaro next, then prosecco poured slowly against the side, then soda. Skip the stir entirely and let the pour do the mixing for you.

A classic Amaro Spritz calls for 60 ml (2 oz) Amaro, 90 ml (3 oz) Prosecco, 30 ml (1 oz) Soda water. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

A standard Amaro Spritz is roughly 16% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it about as strong as a glass of wine.

An Amaro Spritz is built directly in the glass over ice — no shaker required. Add the ingredients in order and give it a brief, gentle stir.