This ready-to-serve spritz cocktail will soon be your new favorite
With the heat of last weekend, I dare say that the terrace season is officially open. And that usually means one thing for me: a Aperol Spritz or gin and tonic on a sunny terrace. But no matter how delicious those cocktails are, the bill doesn't lie these days. I don't even flinch at fifteen euros for a bottle of tonic, a shot of gin, and two slices of cucumber. And often, of course, it doesn't stop at just one. So when Chandon announced that they were adding two new flavors to their Spritz Collection and that there would be a tasting on a boat tour through the Amsterdam canals, I was actually convinced right away. Especially when I arrived and saw that the boat was fully decorated in the color palette of the bottles: pink, yellow, and orange. Not exactly a punishment for a Thursday afternoon I would otherwise have spent in the office. But well, colorful decor or not: in the end, it’s all about the drink itself. Are these new flavors really in the running to become my new (terrace) favorite?
It started with one glass
I didn't go completely unaware. In the name of research, I have actually drunk the Chandon Spritz Orange Peel & Spices more times than I probably should admit. So it doesn't surprise me anymore that every time I present the drink to a friend, she asks within a few minutes if ‘we shouldn't just get a bottle?’ And I think that has a lot to do with how accessible the bubble is. The base of the spritz is an Argentine sparkling wine with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sémillon, plus orange peels and spices. Sounds all very fancy, but what you mainly taste is something fresh and lightly bitter.
Wait... do I have a new favorite now?
Because I could almost be called a fan of the original flavor, I was genuinely surprised when after one sip of the new Chandon Spritz Lemon & Verbena, I thought: okay, this could very well be my new number one. We were served it as a welcome drink, complete with a slice of lemon, a sprig of rosemary, and a large ball of ice – which of course always helps with the experience – but even without all the embellishments, I found this variant truly delightful. Such a drink that after two sips makes you think: this goes down way too easily.
The third type, Chandon Spritz Berries & Hibiscus, was also to my liking. You clearly taste the berry tones and that hint of hibiscus gives it something floral. Yet this one ends up at the bottom of my ranking. Not because it’s bad, absolutely not, but because the citrus variants just appeal to me a bit more. But well, variety is also important.
Less alcohol = less guilt
Another advantage, or well, it depends a bit on what kind of person you are, is that the new flavors are lower in alcohol than the OG. While the original variant sits at 11.5% alcohol, the new bottles contain 6% alcohol. For me personally, that's only positive, because I down a spritz like this a bit too easily. And if we're going to indulge in an alcoholic treat during the spontaneous Tuesday afternoon drink, then it's also nice that it's not immediately a complete calorie bomb. The Lemon & Verbena scores low with about 60 calories per glass. This way, the ready-to-serve spritz falls into the skinny bitch category.
I don't have a plan for this lovely free Monday yet, but I do know that one way or another, a glass of that Lemon & Verbena will rest in my hand. Because bad news for my bank account: the second bottle of Chandon Spritz is currently 50 percent off at Gall & Gall. And somewhere that's information I could have done without.
