In partnership with St-Germain

In France, the aperitif is less about the drink itself and more about the ritual. While visiting Ardèche in southern France during St-Germain's annual elderflower harvest, we'd gather each evening before dinner as golden hour settled over the countryside, with a Spritz in hand and nowhere else to be. Conversations stretched, glasses emptied (and were refilled), and our only real agenda was enjoying the moment.

It's a ritual I've thought about often since returning home. And while recreating a château in the French countryside here in Sydney might be difficult, mastering the cocktail itself is surprisingly easy.

The drink in question was a St-Germain Spritz — a refreshing combination of St-Germain elderflower liqueur, prosecco, sparkling water and lemon. Light, floral and subtly sweet, it's become a warm-weather staple for good reason.

What I didn't fully appreciate until witnessing the harvest firsthand was just how much goes into every bottle of St-Germain. Each spring, wild elderflowers bloom for only a few short weeks before being carefully hand-picked and transformed into the liqueur that gives the Spritz its signature flavour.

The flowers aren't farmed in orderly fields or harvested according to a strict schedule. Instead, they arrive on nature's terms, blanketing the countryside with clusters of tiny white blooms before disappearing almost as quickly as they came. It's a fleeting window — and one that requires remarkable care to capture. In fact, up to 1,000 elderflowers are needed to create a single bottle of St-Germain.

Perhaps that's what makes the St-Germain Spritz feel so suited to long summer afternoons. The serve is light and effortless, but the ingredient at its heart is anything but.

Fortunately, making one at home requires far less effort than harvesting thousands of elderflowers. It's also ideal if you're skipping European summer this year, but still want to bring a little European culture to Australia. Below, learn how to recreate the classic St-Germain Spritz — no French château required.

Ingredients

• 40mL of St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur

• 60mL of Martini Brut Prosecco

• 60mL of Sparkling Water

• Lemon twist

• Edible flowers (optional)

Method 

• Pour St‑Germain over ice into your glass. 

• Top with Prosecco and sparkling water. 

• Give the drink a good stir. 

• Gently twist a lemon peel on top of your drink and add edible flowers (optional).