No doubt you have spent many evenings enjoying an Aperol Spritz al fresco (or at your favorite hotel bar!). I know I have! But have you ever considered Aperol as the star of a martini? My G&A Martini brings together the bright, citrus flavor of Aperol, the herbaceous layers of The Botanist gin, and the wonderful fizz of sparkling wine to make for a refreshingly chic take on the most classic of cocktails.
If you are looking for something new to greet your guests with at your next party, you can serve the G&A Martini alongside my Puff Pastry Pinwheels sprinkled with a bit of Gruyère cheese. For a larger crowd, take a page from the European entertaining playbook and present each drink over ice in small bistro glasses! Cheers!
The G&A Martini
Ingredients (serves 6)
- Gin – 6 ounces, Botanist recommended
- Aperol – 9 ounces
- Triple Sec – 3 ounces, Cointreau recommended
- Orange Juice – 3 ounces, freshly squeezed
- Sparkling wine – (1) 750ml bottle, chilled, Domaine Carneros Brut Vintage Cuvée recommended
- Rosemary – 6 sprigs, for garnish, fresh
- Orange Slices – 6, for garnish
Directions
- In a tall pitcher, stir together the gin, Aperol, triple sec and orange juice. Set aside.
- Fill a large cocktail shaker half full with ice. Pour enough of the drink mixture into the shaker to almost fill it. Shake the cocktail for a full 30 seconds and strain into martini glasses.
- Top each martini with 4 ounces of chilled sparkling wine. Garnish each glass with a sprig of rosemary and fresh orange slice. Serve cold.
