Ghia Night at the Spritz

The Ghia Night at the Spritz has become the defining entry-point cocktail of the zero-proof revolution — the drink that has converted more casual skeptics into committed sober-curious drinkers than any other in the category. It 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 a sprig of fresh rosemary and a bright curl of orange zest. What makes it extraordinary is the base spirit itself. Ghia was founded by French-born designer Mélanie Masarin, and the aperitif's flavor architecture reflects her background in aesthetics: it is bitter, citrus, and bright, with layered notes of lemon, orange, gentian root, yuzu, elderflower, rhubarb root, lemon balm, ginger, and rosemary. The bitterness of gentian root — the same bittering agent used in Campari — provides genuine aperitivo character. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) contributes a mild anxiolytic effect. Yuzu adds an aromatic citrus note unavailable in any common Western fruit. The result is a drink that earns its complexity; it is not sweet, not simple, and not a substitution. It is its own thing. At bars like Cafe Zaffri in New York City and Golden Ratio in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill, Ghia-based spritzes routinely appear on dedicated zero-proof menus at $16 to $18 per glass. Retail bottles of Ghia Original Apéritif are available nationally at approximately $33 to $38 per 750mL, yielding 12 to 14 cocktails. The brand also produces Le Spritz ready-to-drink cans in Original, Ginger, Lime & Salt, and Sumac & Chili variants, making it one of the most versatile platforms in the category. This cocktail ranks first not because it is the most complex on this list, but because it is the most culture-defining. It is the drink that made zero-proof ordering feel like a genuine lifestyle choice rather than an act of self-denial. Pour it at a dinner party and nobody will know it is alcohol-free unless you tell them — and when you do, they will ask for the recipe.