A Grapefruit Spritzer sounds like the perfect refreshing summer cocktail, don't you think? A little fresh grapefruit, some sparkling wine and a little fizz is just the thing to cool you down on a hot day.
This white wine cocktail takes just minutes to prepare and I'll show you how in my simple step-by-step instructions below.
I LOVE a good wine spritzer recipe. It's my go-to cocktail when day-drinking or if I know that there will be hours of drinking, like at a summer pool party.
Because the wine is mixed with club soda and fresh fruit juice, it takes a little longer to drink than a standard glass of wine.
As long as you are sipping a Grapefruit Spritzer slowly, you can enjoy them for a longer period of time without finding yourself dancing on a table. Because, while dancing on tables is fun, I'm not trying to burn that memory into my kid's heads... (And of course, also drink water in between sparkling wine spritzers for extra assurance and use my favorite Hangover Supplement just in case).
More summer spritzers you might like: Basic White Wine Spritzer, Blood Orange Spritzer with Thyme, Red Wine Spritzer
Why this recipe works
This Grapefruit Spritzer recipe is super quick and easy and doesn't require any special bar skills. And you don't even really need to measure. Let your taste buds be your guide.
Because of the pre-bottled flavored champagne, this recipe is extra quick to prepare and can be ready in about 3 minutes.
The crisp fresh grapefruit juice and bitter orange flavors from the champagne give this drink a refreshing citrus flavor that isn't too sweet. It's great over ice and feels summery, especially when listening to some Yacht Rock.
This Grapefruit Spritzer would be great for serving at bridal and baby showers, summer potlucks and parties or any brunch you host. Or simply enjoy on warm Saturday afternoons.
Ingredient Notes
Fresh grapefruit juice gives this mild cocktail a pretty color and a hit of flavor. You can use store-bought if needed, but fresh will give you the best taste.
Club soda is my favorite way to top a wine spritzer. It's super fizzy and doesn't fight with any other flavors of the drink. Club soda is sometimes called sparkling water so just grab what you can find.
Sparkling mineral water has a little bit of a, well, mineral flavor and is a bit less fizzy. It can be used but it's not my first choice.
The real star of the show is the Chandon Garden Spritz. It's a bottled cocktail that features a hint of bitter orange flavor that reminds me of bitters. It has just the right amount of sweetness and is SUPER refreshing. They are a little pricey (last time I looked they were 4 for $24 on sale at the grocery store.)
What I love about the champagne is that it really does taste like a spritz on it's own, so if you are feeling really lazy, you can just grab one of those! It has the same amount of alcohol as regular champagne (I'm pretty sure - I don't have one right in front of me) so plan accordingly.
If you can't find them or don't want to spend that much, you can just use regular sparkling wine and add a few drops of bitters.
How to make a Grapefruit Spritzer
Add ice to a wine glass.
You can use a stemmed or stemless glass for this Grapefuit Spritzer. I just got these cute wine glasses, though, and think they add a touch of sophistication to the drink.
But I'm a bit of a glassware nerd... And if drinking by a pool, a red plastic cup works just fine. (Don't cocktails taste better in a red plastic cup sometime??)
Pour in the champagne. You can see that this bottled champagne already has some color to it from the other flavors it has.
The amount of champagne you will use depends on how much of a light weight you want this drink to be. I aim for about 4-5 ounces (a typical pour being 6-9 ounces).
When you pour the champagne it will be super fizzy. Let the foam collapse and add more as needed.
And if we aren't into measuring, aim to fill about ⅓ of the glass.
Add an ounce or so of fresh grapefruit juice.
I went with grapefruit juice because it is so crisp and I knew it would go well with the flavor of the champagne. It's also not overly sweet so it keeps it on the refreshing side.
This is my favorite citrus squeezer that I use when making cocktails. You have to cut the grapefruit down into big chunks to fit but it's a great way to get the most juice out of it.
Finally, top the Grapefruit Spritz with club soda for the perfect fizz. If I know that I will be at said pool party for a long time, I will usually add more of the club soda to dilute the wine a bit more.
If I'm just sipping one at home, I give it a healthy splash but keep the ratio heavier on the champagne.
Edible flowers are the perfect garnish. They add more color and whimsy and make this Grapefruit Spritzer feel extra summery.
I buy my flowers at Gelson's or Sprouts, or you can find them online on Amazon or Gourmet Sweet Botanicals.
Tips and Tricks
- Always taste the spritzer after you've made it so you can adjust the flavors to suit your tastebuds. You may find that you want more grapefruit flavor.
- Don't want to use the flavored champagne? Just use regular. If you like that bitter orange flavor, you can add a few drops of bitters.
- You can make a bunch of these at once, quickly, as long as you pre-squeeze the grapefruit juice.
- Grapefruit goes well with so many flavors. Consider muddling fresh herbs like basil, rosemary or thyme into the glass before adding ice.
- Want to make this Grapefruit Spritzer boozier? Add an ounce of gin or vodka!
Fequently Asked Questions
A spritzer is a super simple cocktail idea usually made with white wine. 3 parts wine to 1 part club soda plus some flavoring, makes for a refreshing cocktail recipe that you'll love. Once you know the basic idea, you can easily modify the flavors to make some super flavorful drinks.
This one does! But they really don't have to. If you browse around online, a lot of people call their mocktails a spritz or spritzer when they add fizz to it. I prefer to reserve the term for a legit wine spritzer.
The only alcohol in a spritzer is the wine, which are typically 8 to 14 percent ABV. The wine is watered down with club soda, and in this case some fresh fruit juice, which makes the alcohol content pretty mild.
This Grapefruit Spritzer is the a drink you'll be sipping all summer thanks to how quickly they are made, the gorgeous color and the taste! This is the day-drinking wine spritzer you've been hoping for.
Related Recipes
Need even more cocktails perfect for summer? Check out my collections of Summer Vodka Drinks, Vodka Cocktails with Pineapple Juice and Watermelon Drinks with Vodka.
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Grapefruit Spritzer
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Chandon Garden Spritz (or sparkling wine with 3 drops bitters)
- 1 ounce grapefruit juice fresh
- 2 ounces club soda
Instructions
- To a cocktail glass, add ice.
- Add sparkling wine, let foam calm down then add a little more (filling about ⅓ of the glass).
- Add fresh grapefruit juice.
- Top with club soda.
- Garnish the Grapefruit Spritz with edible flowers or a wedge of grapefruit.
Notes
- Always taste the Grapefruit Spritzer after you've made it so you can adjust the flavors to suit your tastebuds. You may find that you want more grapefruit flavor.
- Don't want to use the flavored champagne? Just use regular. If you like that bitter orange flavor, you can add a few drops of bitters.
- You can make a bunch of these at once, quickly, as long as you pre-squeeze the grapefruit juice.
- Grapefruit goes well with so many flavors. Consider muddling fresh herbs like basil, rosemary or thyme into the glass before adding ice.
- Want to make this Grapefruit Spritzer a little boozier? Add an ounce of gin or vodka!
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