National Spritz Day on August 1: Holiday Founded by Jamie Knee, Petite Wine Traveler
Aperol Spritz in Milan, with Jamie Knee, Petite Wine Traveler
National Spritz Day — August 1
By Jamie Knee, Petite Wine Traveler | Published December 20, 2023 | Updated July 2026
National Spritz Day is August 1. As a luxury wine travel writer, Voice of Enotourism and Wine Travel Presenter, and the creator of this official holiday, I wanted a day that honored the spritz not just as a cocktail, but as a cultural experience, a glass that carries the warmth of the Adriatic coast, the golden hour of a Venetian campo, and the effortless joy of the aperitivo hour, wherever in the world you happen to be.
National Spritz Day is officially registered on National Day Archives and Checkiday, and every year on August 1, I invite wine lovers, travelers, and anyone who has ever raised a spritz toward the sun to pause, pour, and celebrate. National Day Archives: National Spritz Day
When Is National Spritz Day?
National Spritz Day is celebrated annually on August 1. Mark your calendar: August 1, 2026 is this year’s official celebration. The holiday is registered on National Day Archives and Checkiday and recognized across the United States as the dedicated celebration of the spritz cocktail and the aperitivo culture surrounding it.
Date: August 1, every year
Official Hashtag: #NationalSpritzDay
Founded by: Jamie Knee, Petite Wine Traveler
Registered: National Day Archives and Checkiday, and others
The 2026 National Spritz Day Countdown
In the weeks leading up to August 1, 2026, I am sharing one original illustrated spritz recipe card every single day on Instagram and Facebook at @petitewinetraveler — a 32-day journey through 32 spritzes from around the world, each one paired with the story of its place and the culture that made it. From the Aperol Spritz of Venice to the Kalimotxo of the Basque Country, the Limoncello Spritz of the Amalfi Coast to the Pisco Sour Spritz of Peru, every glass is a passport to somewhere beautiful. Follow along, save your favorites, and join the celebration on August 1. National Spritz Day Countdown
Why Celebrate National Spritz Day?
Even in the heart of winter, I find myself dreaming of sun on my shoulders, a sea breeze, and a perfectly chilled spritz in hand. That feeling, effortless, luminous, unhurried, is exactly why I created this holiday. The spritz is not just a cocktail. It is a cultural ritual, a moment of permission to slow down and savor wherever you are. Whether you raise a classic Aperol Spritz, a Champagne-based French 75, a Hugo Spritz fragrant with elderflower and mint, or your own signature creation, National Spritz Day is your annual invitation to let life feel sparkling for a moment.
The combination of sunshine, sparkling wine, and a touch of bitterness or citrus turns each glass into a small celebration. Falling at the peak of summer, August 1 is the most natural day in the calendar to honor a drink that has been bringing people together since the 1800s.
Chandon Spritz, with Jamie Knee, Founder of National Spritz Day
The History of the Spritz
The story behind National Spritz Day stretches back two centuries. In the 1800s, wine drinkers first began adding sparkling soda water to their glasses to lighten the alcohol and brighten the flavor. This simple, elegant idea took shape during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, when Austrian soldiers stationed in northeastern Italy began splashing their local wine with water. The German word spritz means splash, and from that small, spontaneous gesture, an entire category of cocktails was born.
As decades passed, the spritz evolved into something far more sophisticated. Bitters, liqueurs, and citrus twists joined the mix. Sparkling wine; Prosecco for the Italian tradition, Champagne for a more elevated expression, became the defining base. Regional identities emerged. Every corner of northeastern Italy developed its own signature aperitivo hour, its own preferred bitters, its own way of pouring.
The Story of Aperol
Aperol first appeared in the early twentieth century, created in 1919 by the Barbieri brothers in Padua. The modern Aperol Spritz recipe did not fully crystallize until the 1950s, and for decades the drink remained a beloved regional tradition in the Veneto. It was not until the early 2000s, when a major international marketing campaign introduced the Aperol Spritz to a global audience, that the rest of the world caught up. Its bittersweet profile, approachable alcohol content, and effortless elegance made it an instant favorite across North America, and the spritz has never looked back.
Today the Aperol Spritz stands as the most recognized member of the spritz family, but it is far from the only one worth knowing. The Hugo Spritz from South Tyrol, the Limoncello Spritz of the Amalfi Coast, the Lillet Spritz of Bordeaux, the Elderflower Spritz of the English countryside, each one carries the fingerprint of its place, its people, and its landscape. Wine as a Passport has never been more literal than in a glass of spritz.
National Spritz Day-Milan Wine Travel at the Duomo, with an Aperol Spritz
The Spritz Around the World Today
The spritz continues to evolve, and that evolution is one of the things I love most about it. Today’s bartenders and home entertainers are crafting kiwi spritzes, honey-lemon spritzes, Pimm’s spritzes, hibiscus spritzes, sake spritzes, and countless other creations that push the form in beautiful directions while honoring its essential spirit: bubbles, a touch of bitterness or sweetness, and a garnish that makes you feel like the afternoon has nowhere else to be.
As the founder of National Spritz Day, I created this celebration to honor that full spectrum of possibility, to inspire people not only to enjoy the classics but to explore the world through a glass, one spritz at a time.
How to Celebrate National Spritz Day
The most beautiful way to celebrate National Spritz Day is simply to share a spritz with people you love. Invite friends to meet you for an after-work aperitivo. Find a sunny spot by the pool or the coast and linger over a chilled glass while the last light of summer stretches long across the water. Host a spritz party at home and set out three or four bottles and let guests build their own. Or celebrate quietly, alone with a good book and a perfectly poured glass, because some of the best aperitivo hours are the ones you give yourself.
However you raise your glass on August 1, tag @petitewinetraveler and @nationalspritzday use #NationalSpritzDay — I will share your posts and celebrate alongside your posts.
National Spritz Day above LA
Best Spritz Recipes to Celebrate National Spritz Day
One of my favorite ways to mark National Spritz Day is to try a spritz I have never made before. Here are five recipes to inspire your pour this August 1.
Classic Aperol Spritz
The original and still the most iconic. Fill a large stemmed wine glass with ice. Add 3 parts chilled Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol, and 1 part sparkling water. Stir gently and garnish with an orange wheel. Light, bittersweet, and endlessly refreshing, the 3-2-1 rule is all you need to remember.
Hugo Spritz
From the alpine meadows of South Tyrol, this is the spritz that smells like summer itself. Muddle fresh mint with St. Germain elderflower liqueur, top with Prosecco and a splash of soda water, and garnish with a lemon wheel and a sprig of mint. Fragrant, floral, and impossibly lovely.
Americano Spritz
The elegant predecessor to the Negroni. Equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth, lengthened with soda water and finished with an orange twist. A classic that never overstays its welcome.
Spring Fever Spritz
Fresh strawberries, elderflower syrup, a squeeze of lemon, and a dash of grapefruit bitters, topped with chilled sparkling rosé and a grapefruit slice. This one tastes like the first warm afternoon of the year.
Channel Orange Spritz
A bold, citrus-forward pour made with Negroni Aperitivo Sixteen, Amara Sicilian blood orange liqueur, Granada Vallet pomegranate liqueur, Prosecco, and grapefruit soda. Vibrant, complex, and unforgettable.
National Spritz Day- Spring Fever Spritz on the Mediterranean Sea
Spritz FAQs
What is a spritz?
A spritz is a sparkling wine-based cocktail, typically built with Prosecco or another sparkling wine, a bitter or aromatic liqueur such as Aperol or Campari, and a splash of soda water. It is light, effervescent, and designed for slow, pleasurable sipping.
When is National Spritz Day?
National Spritz Day is August 1, every year.
Who founded National Spritz Day?
National Spritz Day was founded by Jamie Knee, also known as the Petite Wine Traveler. Jamie is a luxury wine travel writer, wine travel presenter, and the Voice of Enotourism and Wine Travel Media, based in Santa Barbara, California. It is officially registered on National Day Archives and Checkiday, and elsewhere.
Where did the spritz originate?
The spritz traces its origins to northeastern Italy in the 1800s, when Austrian soldiers stationed in the Veneto began splashing local wine with soda water. The word spritz comes from the German word for splash.
How do you make a white wine spritzer?
A simple white wine spritzer is chilled white wine, club soda, and a slice of lemon or citrus twist. It is lighter and less complex than a classic Aperol Spritz but wonderfully refreshing on a warm day.
Does an Aperol Spritz have alcohol? Yes. Aperol contains approximately 11 percent alcohol by volume, making the Aperol Spritz one of the lower-alcohol cocktail options, an approachable, moderate choice well suited to long afternoons and leisurely aperitivo hours.
What is the difference between a spritz and a spritzer?
A spritzer is typically just wine and soda water. A spritz is more complex. It’s built on sparkling wine plus a liqueur or bitter, creating a layered flavor profile that is a step up in sophistication from the simple spritzer.
Follow the National Spritz Day Countdown
Every day through August 1, 2026, I am posting a new illustrated spritz recipe card. Find on Instagram at @petitewinetraveler and @nationalspritzday. Thirty-two spritzes, thirty-two countries, thirty-two stories of place, culture, and the people who pour with intention. This is the National Spritz Day Countdown. It is the most delicious journey I have ever taken without leaving home.
Follow along at @petitewinetraveler and @Nationalspritzday. Save the date: August 1, 2026. And remember, every glass is a passport to somewhere beautiful. Contact Jamie Knee
