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An Aperitif State of Mind — The Best Australian Spritz Alternatives
The spritz is as much a state of mind as it is an aperitif. Luckily, that state of mind isn’t exclusive to Europe. Or Aperol.
Welcome to The Pour, a monthly dispatch on the people, bottles, bars and drinking habits shaping Australian culture.
Euro summer still has us in a chokehold, but the glass has started to look a lot more local. Australian makers are playing with bitter aperitivos, native fruit, vermouth, fizz and cans designed for the fridge door, and suddenly the spritz is speaking with an accent of its own.
This is Cyndal’s edit of the bottles doing it best. Some crack straight open. Some want ice, soda or a little attention. All make a very good case for keeping aperitivo hour close to home.
The Australian Spritzes Worth Switching To
Bizzarro Australiano x Maidenii
If you’ve worked behind a bar in Australia, you’ll be familiar with Maidenii vermouth. And if you’ve ever gone looking for an Aussie Aperol, you’ve likely come across Bizzarro’s bitter aperitivo. Made with strawberry gum, lime and sweet vermouth, this is one of Australia’s best canned aperitivos. Serve over ice.
Saison Apéritifs Fallen Quinces Vermouth
This is the work of a chef turned bitter drinks maker, chasing something fresher, more considered, and distinctly modern. Fallen Quinces is a particular favourite, built on roasted pineapple quince, saffron and dried blood orange. Drink it long with a dash of soda, or firm over ice.
La Violetta ‘Patio Nat’ Sparkling
I get it. Pét-nats are over. But don’t forget, sparkling wine was the original aperitif. And pétillant naturel was the original form of sparkling wine. Don’t overlook these as spritz alternatives. La Violetta’s are particularly on brand.
Autonomy DAVO Plum Aperitivo + sparkling wine + soda
Google Davidson plum and you’ll get “highly regarded Australian native bushfood” and “packed with antioxidants.” Healthy. Perfect. Here, that tart native fruit is lifted with sweet orange into a sharp, bittersweet aperitivo. Packaging’s cute, too.
Zoncello Limoncello Spritz
Imagine liquid lemon sorbet, spiked with limoncello from a multi-generational recipe… and tears from a double-horned unicorn. Nostalgic and impossibly good. Serve it very cold. No ice.
Saison Aperitifs x Mischief Brew Amaro Tonic
You might want to roll your sleeves up for this collab in a can. Blood orange, marigold, cumquat and oregano. Less flavour hidden within sugars. More… firm drink. Pour over ice, garnish with a speared green olive, and settle in for a more sophisticated aperitivo hour.
Beudi Bushwater
You can’t legally make tequila in Australia, but you can make distilled agave. Same base, same process. With that as the spirit, and the addition of native desert lime, this tastes like the outback.
Departed Spirits Bloody Cello
Australian blood orange peel and ancho chilli husk doesn’t immediately read simple pleasures and lunch with the girls. But the slightly unhinged nature of Departed Spirits is exactly where the joy lies. Smoky, bitter, and best topped with soda.
Emmalene Sparkling Pinot Noir Rosé
Did we forget that most spritzes have sparkling wine at their core? I think we did. This juicy little Adelaide Hills number leans into strawberry, apple and spiced quince, with just enough sweetness to keep things easy.
Now that you’ve found a local alternative to the classic European spritz, explore more of Australia’s best canned cocktails or check out these unique gifts for drink lovers.
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