Fords loves the Italian vermouth’s bittersweet notes of baking spices, clove, nutmeg, and caramel, but he’s especially happy with how the Lambrusco adds not just bubbles but depth, too. Whereas a prosecco delivers a lighter, crisper fizz, a red Lambrusco might layer on more structure and earthiness. “Obviously, the Lambrusco’s bubbles lift the cocktail,” he says. “But you also infuse the drink with the richness of red wine.”
Another beloved NYC drinks destination, Dante, is bullish on having spritzes on its menu regardless of the season. In fact, as it expands beyond its Big Apple locations with outposts and pop-ups in cities including Beverly Hills, Aspen, and London, a spritz is always available. And, not just any spritz: there are actually a few of them on every menu, from the classic Aperol, to a pineapple daiquiri spritz, to a Sbagliato.
“When we opened Dante Aspen in 2020, our most popular cocktail was the Aperol Spritz,” says Linden Pride, co-owner of Dante. “The sparkling wine and amaro [make for] easy drinking, especially at altitude. The drink may have come to popularity in the summer, but the low ABV and sessionability make it great for all seasons.”
This winter, bartenders at every Dante address (from the original on Macdougal Street, to its residency in Claridge’s in London) are slinging the Cranberry Spritz, which combines cranberry juice and Perrier-Jouët champagne with a housemade cranberry syrup spiced with cardamom and vanilla. Pride explains that not only does the syrup feature the warm spice that you associate with colder weather, but the rosemary sprig and skewed cranberry garnish lend the drink a festive twist, too.
In Denver, Jovanina’s Broken Italian calls on a cranberry-rosemary shrub as a defining flavor in its Neve Rosa (or pink snow in Italian), served via its tableside digestif cart. This sparkling cocktail is actually a riff on the Cosmopolitan, subbing out the Cointreau or Triple Sec in favor of Contratto Aperitif, an Italian liqueur similar to Campari. “The addition of prosecco and club soda in this cocktail really works to unlock the rosemary and make this smell indisputably Italian and wintery, despite consisting of what many people would call warm-weather ingredients,” says general manager John Long.
In Paris, Boubalé also plays around with its spritz for the winter by veering away from the drink’s bitterness and citrus-forward profile. Its Julnâr is full of texture and subtle layers, mixing champagne with sea lettuce, honey, celery, and vodka infused with pine needles. Instead of the sharp contrasting flavors that a traditional spritz provides, this one is all about umami, minerality, and a softness that suits the way most people want to drink during the winter.
