Ice-cold, ultra-refreshing and irresistibly effervescent, spritz cocktails are the boozy symbol of summer!
With the herbaceous wonder that is Pedrino’s Vermouth & Tonic Spritz, which we sent our members in their June 2020 Gin of the Month box, you’re seconds away from enjoying the best that these delicious mixers have to offer. Here, we meet the team, take a look at some of the other drinks in the range as well, and share how we love to drink them in the sunshine!
The Summer Serve
For Sam Showering and Joe Knopfler, co-founders of Pedrino Spritz, summers haven’t been the same since they discovered the spritz cocktail on their travels.
“Our passion for creating the perfect terrace-ready spritzer began while we were following the sun-soaked ‘Grand Tour’ travel route. We were inspired by the drinks cabinets of Spain, Portugal and Italy, and we fell in love with the chic ‘aperitif hours’ of the Mediterranean.”
But why have the elegant piazzas of Italy and sunny plazas of Spain given rise to this singular serve, and how can you recreate the drink of summer at home?
Something With Sparkle
At its simplest, the spritz is a joyous combination of water and wine. But these sparkling cocktails are so much more than the sum of their parts.
Denizens of the Italian peninsula have been adding water to their wine since the Roman era, and when sparking water became available in the 1900s, the spritz took off in a big way. It’s easy to see why this light, refreshing beverage became a hit in the hot Mediterranean climate.
“A spritz is the perfect combination of a lower ABV and added sparkle.”
Less alcoholic than cocktails like the Negroni, the spritz is refreshing rather than heavy in the heat. But a good spritz will retain the complexity and sophistication of a bar-quality cocktail, especially when you get the ingredients right.
Time for the Terrace
For their range of three spritzes – including the Pedrino Vermouth and Tonic Spritz in your June Gin of the Month box – the team behind Pedrino Spritz has combined origin-protected fortified wines like vermouth, sherry and port with premium tonic water in the perfect proportion. All you have to do is open the bottle, pour it into a wine glass filled with ice and garnish to serve.
“Effortless to make, elegant to taste and the perfect way to impress friends at a summer garden party or add a bit of sparkle to classic cocktail recipes.”
The Pedrino Vermouth and Tonic Spritz in our June 2020 Gin of the Month box is no exception, making for a simple, elegant serve right out of the bottle. But it’s also an amazing addition to cocktail recipes!
“Not only is it bringing a classic cocktail combination back into fashion, but it’s also extremely versatile.”
Whether you pour over ice and go or whip up one of the sparkling cocktails below, with Pedrino Vermouth and Tonic Spritz you have the key ingredient for summer’s best serve.
Mediterranean G&T
Ingredients
25ml gin
Pedrino Vermouth and Tonic Spritz, to top up
orange wedge or a slice of lemon, to garnish
Method
Fill a wine glass with ice and add your ingredients. Stir gently, garnish and serve.
Herbaceous Spritz
Ingredients
25ml rhubarb gin (we recommend Warner’s Rhubarb Gin or Tarquin’s Rhubarb & Raspberry gin, both available on our online shop)
Pedrino Vermouth & Tonic Spritz, to top up
peach bitters, a dash (optional)
lemon slice and berries (optional), to garnish
Method
Add your ingredients to a chilled glass, stir gently and garnish to serve.
If these scrumptious and oh-so-easy cocktail recipes tickle your fancy then you can top up your supply of Pedrino’s Vermouth & Tonic Spritz at Sainsbury’s!
plus all of your
plus all of your
plus all of your