• White wine and carbonated water were the first spritz, made in Austro-Hungarian style, and a word to the wise: in many areas in Friuli, if you ask for a spritz, they will still bring you this.
• The spritz that won over Italian palates was born in the 1920s with the idea of tinting the cocktail with a drop of bitters.
• This product is made with sparkling wine, bitter roots (rhubarb and gentian), and citrusy flavors (orange, lemon, and grapefruit).
• Prepare to fill a wineglass or old-fashioned glass with ice and pour this spritz over.
• Garnish with an orange slice and serve.

SPRITZ got its start in the late 1700s and early 1800s when Austrian soldiers based in Northern Italy, accustomed to drinking beer, used water to stretch the wines of Veneto, which were too alcoholic for them.

The name "spritz," in fact, comes from the German word "spritzen," which means "to splash."