Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer. As the days get longer and hotter we collectively look forward to spending our hours of leisure sipping on a refreshing cocktail or two.
The best part is that summer drinking is no longer confined to coolers full of melted ice and semi-cold beer. Despite being laid out on backyard porches, we want to transport ourselves to pebble beaches along the Amalfi coast. Hence, these early summer days call for a spritz: the perfect amalgamation of sparkling wine, bitter liqueur and sparkling water, garnished with a large wheel of fruit. Now, with the monumental rise of the ready-to-drink (RTD) category, this spritz dream is even more accessible.
The Rise of Ready-to-Drink Spritzers and Why It’s The Perfect Summer Drink
The RTD category has seen stratospheric growth in the last five years, making inroads in the overall market share that beer dominates. So much so, that major beer brands have acquired and introduced their own RTDs to the market with great results. Since 2017, the RTD market has grown 5.4 percent on average annually and is expected to be worth $85B by 2030 globally.
The market is strong thanks to red-hot consumer demand, especially from younger generations and consumers just entering the alcoholic beverage market. According to BevAlc Insights’ by Drizly, Millennials hold the largest share of RTD purchases on Drizly (62 percent of share), followed by Gen X (23 percent) and Gen Z holding nine percent of the share. Cathy Lewenberg, chief operating officer at Drizly, confirms that “the rising popularity of ready-to-drink cocktails isn’t slowing down anytime soon.”
This is on par with recent Provi marketplace data that shows steady growth in RTDs. RTDs account for a 3.06 percent market share of the overall spirits category in Q1 2023, increasing from 2.66 percent in the previous quarter — a ~15 percent jump.
But it's the pre-mixed cocktail segment that has seen the largest increase in market share across the category. According to IWSR, [pre-mixed] cocktails are projected to obtain the most growth in RTDs worldwide, with volumes expected to overtake Hard Seltzer in 2025 — attributing 26 percent of the total RTD category by 2026, compared to Hard Seltzer’s projected 20 percent.
As RTDs continue to diversify flavors and types, their growth becomes exponential.
Top 5 Canned Spritz For Summer
The canned spritzer or “spritz” lies in the RTD category and brands are rolling out new versions of the refreshingly effervescent cocktail to much fanfare. Let’s take a closer look at some of our favorite canned spritzers that are perfect for summertime sippin’.
- Romona Blood Orange Wine Spritz
- Sprezza Bianco Spritz
- Lyre's Amalfi Spritz Non-Alcoholic
- Luxardo Aperitivo Spritz
- Cool Cat Grapefruit Wine Spritzer
Romona Blood Orange Wine Spritz
Romana Blood Orange Wine Spritz features a lightly sparkling organic Sicilian wine made with Zibibbo grapes mixed with organic blood orange juice. It’s made with high-quality organic ingredients, sustainable production methods, no refined sugar, no gluten and no artificial flavors. At 7% ABV, this spritz in a can is an easy daytime sipper that will refresh your palate and transport you to Isola Bella beach in sunny, seaside Taormina.
ABV: 7%
Tasting Notes: Citrus zest, raspberries, blood orange & hibiscus.
Sprezza Bianco Spritz
This is Sprezzatura in a can. Mancino Bianco, Scrappy's Bitters, mineral water and carbonation are blended to form this dry and fresh citrus spritz from Sprezza. It’s packed with a bouquet of flavors, such as mint, ginger and elderflower and includes a long, crisp orange and grapefruit finish. Inspired by 1950s-era aperitivo producers who experimented with carbonating their aromatized wines, Sprezza has mastered the art of the bottled (or canned in this instance) spritz decades later.
ABV: 5%
Tasting Notes: Dry, bubbly, refreshing. Floral alpine palate of angelica, chamomile, elderflower, gentian and mint. Finishing on notes of bitter orange, ginger and pink grapefruit peel.
Lyre’s Amalfi Spritz Non-Alcoholic
Spritzers can and should be enjoyed by all. That’s why Lyre’s has introduced this unique product that’s been crafted to capture the essence of a sparkling spritz with flavors that are distinct & contemporary and with none of the intoxicating nature of alcohol. The Amalfi Spritz can stand on its own as a refreshing, invigorating cocktail enjoyed at any time, day or night.
ABV: 0.0%
Tasting Notes: Bittersweet orange, rich peach, rhubarb and elderflower combine to finish dry and refreshing.
Luxardo Aperitivo Spritz
The Luxardo Aperitivo Spritz is made using the brand's iconic bitter aperitivo, sparkling water and natural flavors. It embodies the vibrancy and taste of Italy — home of Luxardo and the birthplace of the spritz.
ABV: 10%
Tasting Notes: Orange zest & Refreshingly sweet.
Cool Cat Grapefruit Wine Spritzer
This wine spritzer from Cool Cat features Sonoma California Pinot Grigio wine with natural grapefruit flavors and carbonated water in a stylish go-anywhere can. Best enjoyed straight from the can, it also makes a delicious mixer for your favorite cocktail recipes.
ABV: 6.9%
Tasting Notes: Grapefruit and honeysuckle with a touch of tropical fruit, honey and spice.
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