Up the ante on the famous sparkling sipper with this collection of sophisticated recipes.

Long a local Venetian specialty, the Aperol spritz made the leap to international celebrity status in the past two decades. Now, the sunset-colored cocktail made with the gently bitter liqueur Aperol is the first thing many drinkers think of when they hear the word “spritz”—a fact that makes many Italians groan. As they’ll point out, a spritz can be made with any amaro, from dark, artichoke-derived Cynar to blood-red Campari, simply by adding prosecco and a splash of sparkling water. And no matter how you make it, the spritz is the quintessential aperitivo drink, with a bright effervescence and lower alcohol content that makes it just right for pre-dinner socializing.

While we still love an Aperol spritz, sometimes we want to get a little fancier when aperitivo hour rolls around. In addition to setting out a spread of some of our favorite Italian snacks, mixing up one of these simply sophisticated cocktail recipes takes our hosting game to the next level. The next time you’re planning an aperitivo hour, level up your cocktails with one of these recipes:

Amaro Whiskey Spritz 

Honey Lavender Gin Spritz

Negroni Sbagliato 

Lambrusco Spritz 

Bellini