Virgin Hugo

A floral, refreshing mocktail inspired by the Hugo Spritz – elderflower syrup, sparkling water, lime, and fresh mint

The Hugo Spritz was created in 2005 by Roland Gruber, a bartender working in St. Ulrich, also known as Ortisei, in the South Tyrol region of northern Italy — the bilingual German- and Italian-speaking alpine territory that sits between the Dolomites and the Austrian border. Gruber developed the drink as a lighter, more aromatic alternative to the Aperol Spritz, which was then dominant in northern Italian aperitivo culture. His formula combined elderflower syrup with Prosecco, fresh mint, lime juice, and soda water, producing a floral, refreshing spritz whose character was entirely different from the bitter orange framework of the Aperol version. The drink became quickly popular in South Tyrol and spread through northern Italy and into Austria and Germany, where its Alpine floral character resonated with local drinking preferences. Elderflower had been used in traditional European folk medicine and culinary practice for centuries — the flowers of the Sambucus nigra tree are harvested in late spring and their delicate honey-and-pear-like fragrance is preserved in cordials and syrups. As the Hugo Spritz gained recognition beyond its regional origin in the late 2000s and 2010s, it became one of the most-ordered Spritz variations globally, positioned as the more refined, floral alternative to Campari and Aperol-based versions. The Virgin Hugo replicates the same elderflower and mint formula with sparkling water in place of Prosecco.