The Select Aperitivo Spritz is the true Venetian cocktail, and once you’ve had one on the water, no other spritz will ever feel quite the same. That ruby red glow against the canals is basically the color of la dolce vita itself.
What Is Select Aperitivo
Select was born in Venice in 1920, made by the Pilla brothers in the Castello district, and it is still the aperitivo that Venetians reach for first. It gets its glorious ruby color and bittersweet flavor from a blend of thirty botanicals, including rhubarb root and juniper berries.
Here is the fun part for anyone comparing it to the spritzes you already know. Select sits right in the middle of the family. It has a bit more backbone than Aperol, which comes in light and sweet at 11 percent ABV, but it is gentler and fruitier than Campari. Think fresh red berries, orange peel, and a soft floral note, with a finish that is bitter but never harsh.
If you have only ever had an Aperol Spritz, trying a Select Spritz feels like meeting a more sophisticated cousin. Same easy spirit, deeper flavor.
Select Spritz Variations
- Bianco Select Spritz: swap the Prosecco for a dry white wine for a slightly less bubbly, more wine-forward take
- Select Americano: trade the Prosecco for soda and a splash of sweet vermouth for a lower ABV sipper, full recipe here
- Frozen Select Spritz: blend with crushed ice for a slushy summer version, wonderful on a hot afternoon
- Extra bitter: add a dash of orange bitters if you love that Campari-adjacent snap
Want to know more about the spirit itself before you buy a bottle? I go deep on tasting notes and where to find it in my full Select Aperitivo review. And if you are curious how Select stacks up against its more famous cousin, my Lush Guide to Aperol breaks that down too.
FAQ
Is Select the same as Aperol?
No. They are cousins, not twins. Select has a higher ABV at 17.5 percent, a fruitier and slightly more herbal flavor, and it is the aperitivo Venice actually claims as its own, since Select was created there in 1920.
Is Select the same as Campari?
Not quite. Select is gentler and lower proof than Campari, which lets the spice and citrus notes come through more clearly instead of getting buried under bitterness.
Can I make a Select Spritz at home?
Absolutely, and that is the beauty of it. All you need is Select Aperitivo, Prosecco, a splash of soda, and a green olive. Five minutes and you are drinking like a Venetian.
Why Lush Life Loves It
I have been calling Venice my second home for forty years now, and the Select Spritz is the drink that means I have arrived. There is something about that first sip on a terrace by the lagoon, olive bobbing in the glass, that just resets you completely. It is simple, it is only three ingredients, and it tastes like Venice in a way that nothing else quite does. This is the spritz the locals actually drink, not the one designed for export, and you can taste that authenticity in every sip. I wrote a whole love letter to drinks just like this one in my book, A Guide to Drinking in Venice, if you want even more Venetian sipping inspiration.
Here is the recipe
Select Spritz
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 oz Select Aperitivo
- 3 oz Prosecco
- 1 splash Soda
- 1 Green olive
Instructions
- Fill a wine glass with ice
- Pour Select Aperitivo into the glass
- Add the prosecco and then the soda
- Stir very gently
- Garnish with a green olive – truly Venetian!