THE MODERN SPRITZ
THE STORY BEHIND A NEW ITALIAN ICON
Ever since terraces across Europe have gradually turned orange, the word “spritz” has entered our vocabulary and Google searches have grown tenfold since 2014. With an army of supporters that will order it unconditionally, it is of no surprise that a tsunami of variations on them has hit and it is now not uncommon for bars across Italy and the rest of Europe to have a Spritz section in their drinks list.
Spritzes are easy to drink, difficult to get wrong and come with the added digital bonus of always looking great on Instagram. A drink with a story almost as colourful as its looks but with somewhat less joyful origins that will surprise you.
THE HOSTILE BEGINNINGS OF THE SPRITZ
Our story is said to begin in one of many Venetian taverns in the early 1820s. Venice had been under Austro-Hungarian rule since the 1814 treaty of Paris when it was handed over by Napoleon in the pursuit of peace. Austrian soldiers stationed in the region are said to have found local wines both too strong in taste and high in alcohol compared to what they were used to drinking back home, so they had quickly developed a workaround solution and resorted to asking tavern-keepers to add a splash of water, diluting the drink and making it more palatable to their taste. This makes for a nice story for us to romanticise the past as we observe it from the relative comfort of XXI century Europe, but it is also a story that considering the years of social turmoil, political power games and open warfare, is probably just a bit too polished for it to be fully believable.
As the first “spritzen” were being poured, Venice had only recently lost its republic of 1100 years. A city that for millennia had stood as a symbol of trade and democracy and that had developed into one of the wealthiest and most powerful states since the Middle Ages and the renaissance, found itself decimated by the plague first and humiliated by its conquerors later. No sooner had Vienna claimed its control that numerous secret societies started to plot ways for Venice to reclaim its independence. A feat that would take numerous failed attempts and even a major defeat until the final reunification of Italy in 1866 under the leaderships of Vittorio Emanuelle and Giuseppe Garibaldi.
The Doge
The Doge of Venice was the most senior elected position in Venice and served as chief magistrate and leader of the Republic.
Elected for life by the city’s aristocracy, the role had vast powers but also came to represent democracy and stability.
The last Doge of Venice abdicated in 1797 when Napoleon conquered the city.
The similarity in name to one of today’s cryptocurrencies has raised a Reddit push for a future independent Venice Republic adopting Dogecoin as its legal tender.
I would expect that the local Venetians would not only have been perplexed by these foreign soldiers diluting their prized wines but also most likely would have laughed at it, perhaps even ridiculing the practice as a point of weakness of the enemy. Against all the odds, however, the spritz managed to find its way into Venetian popular culture, with the splash of water getting upgraded to soda first and then substituted altogether with the region’s most recognized sparkling wine, Prosecco.
BACARI, CICHETTI, OMBRA AND NOW SPRITZ
Visit Veneto today and it will not take you long to hear the phrase Dame’n’ Ombra, a local bar call which roughly translates as give me some shade and which will see the bartender promptly react by serving you a small glass of wine. While the exact origin of the saying is disputed, it is said that back in the 14th Century, street vendors at Venice’s San Marco square would move their carts through the day so as to follow the shade of the bell tower, keeping the wine away from the sun’s heat and ensuring a cool and pleasing environment for the clients to enjoy their break as well.
A welcome step away from the summer heat is still enjoyed at the many bacari, the Venzian osteria (tavern) where alongside your local cicchetti finger food you can now also enjoy a spritz. A drink that has evolved from its humble beginnings as diluted wine, to become a modern and seductive cocktail that brings together bitter, amaro and now more recently vermouth with prosecco and other sparkling wines.
CICCHETTI
These small servings of local specialties are the perfect pairing when enjoying your ombra.
They may remind you of their Spanish Tapas counterpart, but do resist the urge to call them that and learn how to pronounce “chiketti” instead.
On the most popular chicchetti is Baccalà Mantecato, a smooth salted cod dip made with milk and black pepper, served over toasted bread or Polenta
ITALIAN APERITIVO
The modern Spritz has become an international symbol not only of Venice but also of Italy as a whole and has come to represent the aperitivo moment and Italian goia di vivere alongside legendary cocktails like the Americano or the Negroni.
A growing Global cocktail trend and consumer habits edging towards lower alcohol content in drinks are ensuring a golden era for Mediterranean social culture, and within it a resurgence of the aperitivo as a moment when we can disconnect from a digital world that has overpowered every area of our lives.
INFERNO ROSÉ
To celebrate Dante’s 700 anniversary, 9diDANTE has joined forces with FIOL Prosecco to recommend this twist on the refreshing spritz. The wine forward tannin sensation of 9diDANTE blends perfectly with the red fruit notes of FIOL’s new Prosecco Rosé to bring together this bright and cheerful summer cocktail, that is easy to make and enjoy at home. You can find a lot more delicious cocktail recipes here.
HOW TO PREPARE:
60ml 9diDANTE Inferno
120ml FIOL Prosecco Rosé
Gently pour and stir over ice and garnish with a slice or twist of orange