Ghia Night at the Spritz

Ghia Night at the Spritz is the defining entry-point cocktail of the zero-proof revolution, having converted more casual skeptics into committed sober-curious drinkers than any other in the category. The recipe is deceptively simple: 2 ounces of Ghia Original Apéritif, 3 ounces of sparkling water, stirred gently over ice in a large wine glass, finished with fresh rosemary and orange zest. The base spirit, crafted by French-born designer Mélanie Masarin, delivers a bitter, citrus, and bright profile with layered notes of lemon, orange, gentian root, yuzu, elderflower, rhubarb root, lemon balm, ginger, and rosemary. Gentian root—the same bittering agent used in Campari—provides genuine aperitivo character, while lemon balm offers a mild anxiolytic effect. At bars like Cafe Zaffri in NYC and Golden Ratio in Brooklyn, it appears on dedicated zero-proof menus at $16 to $18 per glass. Retail bottles cost $33 to $38 per 750mL, yielding 12 to 14 cocktails.