The Sanjo Spritz is our Sangiovese-led answer to the French 75. A celebration cocktail with soft red-fruit depth where the original has only citrus. It's bright, dry, lightly bubbly, and built around our Naught Sangiovese Gin, the world's first sangiovese gin.
One of two signature cocktails from our Eltham bar built on the Sangiovese (the other being the Sanjo Sour), this is the one to pour for celebrations: birthdays, dinner parties, long Sunday lunches, or any moment that earns a glass.
INGREDIENTS:
- 25ml Naught Sangiovese Gin
- 20ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 15ml Semi-Rich Sugar Syrup
- Top with chilled dry sparkling wine (60-90ml)
GARNISH:
- Orange Twist
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add the Sangiovese gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup to a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 10 seconds.
Fine-strain into a champagne flute or coupe (either works). Top with cold dry sparkling wine, pouring slowly to preserve the bubbles. Express an orange twist over the surface to release the citrus oils, then drop it in.
Why the Sangiovese makes the difference
A standard French 75 is a study in dry, sharp elegance. The Sanjo Spritz is the same cocktail with a different soul. The soft red-fruit and dried-herb character of our Yarra Valley sangiovese grapes, macerated into our Australian Dry Gin for two months, gives the drink a deeper colour and a rounder, slightly more indulgent palate. Same elegance. Different conversation.
You'll also love
- Sanjo Sour, the sister cocktail. No bubbles, more silk.
- Naught French 75, the classic original.
- Forbidden Fruit, another Sangiovese cocktail with tropical depth.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Sanjo Spritz?
The Sanjo Spritz is a Naught Distilling signature cocktail. A sangiovese gin twist on the classic French 75, made with our Sangiovese Gin (the world's first), fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup and topped with cold dry sparkling wine. Bright, dry, with the soft red-fruit depth that distinguishes sangiovese from a standard gin.
How is a Sanjo Spritz different from a French 75?
Same structure, different gin. The French 75 uses a classic dry gin and tastes of juniper and citrus. The Sanjo Spritz uses our Sangiovese Gin, which adds soft red-fruit and dried-herb notes from the macerated grapes, making the drink rounder, slightly more aromatic, and deeper in colour.
Is a Sanjo Spritz the same as an Aperol Spritz?
No. An Aperol Spritz is built (not shaken) over ice with prosecco, soda and Aperol. Bitter, low-ABV, served long. A Sanjo Spritz is shaken first, then strained into a flute or coupe and topped with sparkling. Stronger, drier, and more refined. Different drinks for different moments.
What sparkling wine should I use?
A dry Australian sparkling works beautifully. A NV brut from Tasmania or the Yarra Valley pairs naturally with the Yarra Valley grapes already in the gin. Champagne works if you have it; prosecco works for casual moments. Avoid sweet sparkling. It competes with the natural fruit sweetness of the Sangiovese.
Flute or coupe for a Sanjo Spritz?
Either works beautifully. A champagne flute keeps the bubbles lively for longer and shows off the drink's colour as a vertical column. A coupe is more elegant and aromatic, gathering the citrus and red-fruit notes at the top of the glass. We serve ours in coupes at the bar, but flutes are equally correct.
