The Solstice Spritz for June

A collaborative concoction from Sabine the Alchemist & Lucien the Bartender
For nights that burn slow and dance fast

Lucien: Ah, summer. The season of scandalous necklines, sweat-slicked secrets, and spritzes that flirt with your better judgment. The classic Aperol Spritz? Reliable. Predictable. Like your ex who still texts “u up?” at 2 a.m.

But this—this is our Solstice Spritz.
She’s got bite, bloom, and a color that practically demands to be admired against the firelight.

I swapped the Prosecco for dry sparkling rosé—because obviously. Then Sabine, in a fit of chaotic genius, brewed a hibiscus tea that tastes like forbidden fruit and looks like a love spell. We added lemon to cut the sweetness, a sprig of something wild on top, and voilà.

It’s a drink made to toast the longest day of the year—and maybe the longest kiss, too.

Sabine: YES! And listen, don’t panic about the tea. It’s not tea, it’s a tincture of transformation (well, technically it’s tea, but where’s the drama in that?). Hibiscus opens the heart chakra, deepens the hue to “sacrificial pomegranate,” and tastes like summer getting a little too close to the sun.

I brewed mine triple strength with dried hibiscus flowers (Lucien says it’s “aggressively floral,” which I took as a compliment). The lemon sharpens the edges. The sparkling rosé? That’s the spark. And Aperol is the anchor, bitter and bright, like a crush that never quite goes away.

Light a candle. Pour this over ice. Sip slowly at first, then faster. You’ll be barefoot and spinning in no time. Just don’t spill it on anything white. (Or do. Life’s short.)

The Solstice Spritz — Recipe

A ritual in five ingredients, one glass, and zero apologies

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Aperol (or Cappelletti, if you're feeling herbal)

• 1 oz strong hibiscus tea (cooled; brewed by moonlight optional but encouraged)

• 3 oz dry sparkling rosé (think flirty, not sweet)

• 1 oz soda water (just enough fizz to lift your skirt metaphorically)

• ½ oz lemon juice (for clarity—both flavor and emotional)

• Optional: dash of orange or rose bitters

• Garnish: dried orange wheel, lavender sprig, or something floral and dramatic

Instructions:

1. Fill a wine glass or goblet with ice—big shards, like cracked crystal or broken promises.

2. Add Aperol, hibiscus tea, lemon juice, and bitters. Stir gently (clockwise, for summoning).

3. Top with sparkling rosé and soda.

4. Garnish with chaotic elegance.

5. Drink under open sky or open flame. Dance optional. Regret unlikely.

Sabine: “This isn’t a spritz. It’s a turning point.”