The Cynar Spritz is one of the many variations of the very famous Spritz, which was originally a simple cocktail made with white wine and sparkling (or soda) water. Over time, many recipes of this Cocktail have been created by repurposing, depending on the Italian region, the Original Spritz Recipe.
The Spritz cocktail is a popular Italian aperitif made with Prosecco, Aperol, and soda water; it is usually garnished with an orange slice and served over ice: Italians usually drink this cocktail for the “aperitivo”, before a meal, or as a light summer refresher. If you don’t have prosecco you can use any other white whine (still better to use a sparkling one).
Cynar is an Italian liqueur, an “amaro” made from artichoke and thirteen other herbs and plants, including gentian, rhubarb, and cardoon. The liqueur is slightly bittersweet and has a deep, herbal flavor with hints of artichoke. If you don’t know how to pronounce it’s name, it’s actually simple: it’s sounds like CHEE-nar.
The Cynar Spritz is a combination of the beloved cocktail and the herbal liqueur: the result it’s a drink that’s light and refreshing and has a slightly bitter, herbal flavor. It’s perfect during summer, for an aperitif or right after a dinner with friends.
Just remember that to make this Spritz alternative, the base rule of Spritz still applies: 3-2-1, 3 parts sparkling wine, 2 parts liqueur, 1 part soda water
