Make this Easy-Drinking 3-Ingredient Spritz All Summer

Golden Sunset Spritz

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Cardamom-infused Italicus, an Italian bergamot liqueur, joins forces with orange wine and tonic in this refreshing summer spritz.

Pierre-Alexis Mengual

Published on July 16, 2024

Tested by

Marianne Williams

Golden Sunset Cocktail — Photo:
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

Prep Time:

2 mins

Total Time:

4 days

Servings:

1 drink

The Golden Sunset Spritz is citrusy and herbaceous cocktail created by Pierre-Alexis Mengual, head sommelier at renowned French wine brand Gérard Bertrand. It provides just enough bitterness to leave you wanting another sip, and is the perfect way to kick off cocktail parties.

This sunny spritz is made with Italicus bergamot liqueur, which gets infused with cardamom pods. The result is a bright, warming liqueur with balanced floral notes. This infusion is then blended with fruity orange wine and tonic to create a golden-hued cocktail that evokes summer days.

Since the Italicus is infused in advance, this is a great recipe to scale up for a crowd. To make a larger batch of infused liqueur, use a whole bottle of Italicus and 15 cardamom pods. Once the pods are strained out, the liqueur will last for up to six months when stored in in the bottle in a cool, dry place.

Add a splash of any leftover infused liqueur in a Gin & Tonic or sip it in a simple highball made with club soda.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is orange wine?

Orange wine, also called skin-contact white wine, is a variety of wine that’s made from white grapes that are fermented with their skins on. This gives it an amber hue and complex flavors, with some of the tannins and mouthfeel of a red wine.
What’s the difference between green and black cardamom?

While both green and black cardamom come from the same botanical family, they are two different varieties. Green cardamom is the more common of the two and has a sweet, herbaceous flavor. It’s used in both savory and sweet dishes like morning buns and rice pudding. Black cardamom is smoked after harvesting and has a smoky, mint-like flavor. It is typically used in savory dishes.

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Ingredients

Infused Italicus

6 green cardamom pods
8 ounces bergamot liqueur (such as Italicus)

Golden Sunset Sprtiz

3 1/2 ounces orange wine (such as Gerard Bertrand Orange Gold)
1 1/2 ounces infused Italicus
2 ounces tonic water
1 orange slice, for garnish

Directions

Lightly crush 5 cardamom pods. Combine crushed cardamom and bergamot liqueur in an airtight container, and let stand at room temperature for 4 days.
To make a spritz Combine orange wine and 1 1/2 ounces cardamom-infused liqueur in a large wine glass; add tonic, and stir.
Top with ice and garnish with remaining cardamom pod and an orange slice.

Golden Sunset Spritz

Frequently Asked Questions

Ingredients

Directions

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