Martha Stewart Rosé Lillet Spritz, easy and no cook, swaps the usual Aperol for Lillet, a fruity French aperitif wine. Topped with cold prosecco and club soda, then garnished with strawberry slices, cucumber ribbon, and fresh mint for a pink summer poolside sipper.
Serve this low ABV cocktail at a summer dinner party or brunch as a refreshing Aperol Spritz alternative. Chill all three bottles at least two hours ahead, because warm prosecco goes flat the second it hits ice.
Martha Stewart Rosé Lillet Spritz
Course: BeverageCuisine: American, FrenchDifficulty: Easy1
servings5
minutes135
kcalLight, peachy pink, and barely sweet, with tiny bubbles from the prosecco and a cool cucumber ribbon curled around the glass.
Ingredients
mini cucumber
1 strawberry, hulled
2 ounces Lillet Rosé
2 ounces cava, prosecco, or other sparkling wine
1-2 ounces club soda
Fresh mint, for garnish
Directions
- Prep the garnishes: Using a vegetable peeler, remove the skin from one side of cucumber. Shave a long ribbon of cucumber flesh and set aside. Cut strawberry into slices.
- Add ice, then Lillet and wine: Place ice in wine glass. Add Lillet Rosé and sparkling wine.
- Top with club soda and garnish: Top with 1 to 2 ounces club soda. Garnish with cucumber ribbon, strawberry slices, and mint and serve.
FAQs
What is Lillet Rosé and how is it different from Aperol?
Lillet Rosé comes from Bordeaux and is made mostly from sémillon and sauvignon blanc grapes with a citrus liqueur blended in. Unlike Aperol, which is bitter and bright orange, Lillet Rosé is lighter, fruity, and peachy pink. The lower bitterness makes the spritz smoother, so it works well for people who find an Aperol Spritz too strong.
Can I batch this spritz for a party?
Chill one bottle of Lillet Rosé, one bottle of sparkling wine, and two 12-ounce cans of club soda at least two hours ahead. Combine the Lillet and wine in a pitcher just before pouring, top with the soda, and divide among ice-filled glasses. That gives you about 12 drinks.
What sparkling wine works best for this cocktail?
A dry or extra-dry prosecco or cava in the $8 to $15 range works best, since anything too sweet fights the Lillet’s fruit. Skip brut nature or zero-dosage bottles, because they make the drink taste sharp without the balancing sweetness.
How should I store an opened bottle of Lillet Rosé?
Keep it in the refrigerator with the cap on tight, and finish the bottle within about a month. After that window the fruit flavors fade and the wine starts to taste flat, so mark the date you open it on the label.
Can I make this spritz without the club soda?
You can skip it, but the drink will taste sweeter and heavier without the dilution and fizz the soda brings. Pour 3 ounces of sparkling wine instead of 2 to make up some of that lightness if you are out of soda.
