The Viennese Spritzer – A Glass of City History

Some drinks tell you something about the place where you're sitting. In Vienna, that drink is the G'spritzte. A simple glass that doesn't try to impress, and for exactly that reason has become a symbol of this city. It doesn't demand attention or a stage. And yet it's always there wherever Vienna is at its most honest: in the Wirtshaus, at the Heurigen, at the regulars' table, over a snack – or at Mitzitant, where the Spritzer has long since developed a character all of its own.

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How the Spritzer came to be – and why it only works with the right wine

The G'spritzte has its roots in a very simple need: being able to sit together for longer. When people first started mixing their wine with water, it wasn't about saving money – it was about conviviality. The wine became lighter, heads stayed clearer and the conversation could go on. The Spritzer never stood still. Over generations it was refined, adapted and perfected, until it became that Viennese signature drink that today feels almost as natural as saying "Grüß Gott" when you walk in the door.

For a Spritzer to work, though, it needs more than just any old wine. The base must be dry, fresh and aromatic. Varieties like Grüner Veltliner, Riesling or Pinot Blanc are ideal, because they bring enough character without overpowering the drink. Even the Wiener Gemischter Satz, with its minimum of three grape varieties harvested together, makes a wonderful partner, as long as it is vinified dry. What doesn't work are sweet or heavily oaked wines – they rob the Spritzer of the lightness that makes it so unmistakable.

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The water is just as important. A Spritzer lives from the fizz. Its name comes from the "spritzen" – the spraying of the soda water into the wine. Without proper soda, the Spritzer loses its soul. Still mineral water, flat soda or tap water? Unthinkable. Only a strongly sparkling, ice-cold soda water gives the wine that freshness which elevates it to a true G'spritzter. The bubbles awaken the aromas, lift the citrus notes and create the crisp texture that makes the first sip so characteristic.

And that brings us to a kind of unwritten Spritzer etiquette that everyone in Vienna knows, even if nobody writes it down: the wine should be cool but not ice-cold, the soda must fizz, the glass should be simple – no fuss, no stem glasses. And the ratio? For a classic white Spritzer, half wine, half soda. Only then does the balance hold that makes the Spritzer what it is – a drink you almost sip without thinking, and yet never forget.

The Mitzitant Spritzer – Viennese lightness in a Wirtshaus glass

At Mitzitant, we know exactly what role the Spritzer plays in a proper Wirtshaus. That's why we have our very own Mitzitant Spritzer – a drink that reflects the character of the house: warm-hearted, down-to-earth, friendly, but always with a touch of elegance.