Aperol Spritz Calories and Lower-Calorie Swaps

By the DrinkLeader team · Published 2026-10-14 · Data updated 2026-10-12 · 8 min read

An Aperol spritz lists about 186 calories and 7g of carbs in the DrinkLeader catalog, for a 6.7 oz glass at 9% ABV. The lower-calorie swaps are a smaller or more diluted glass, a brut sparkling wine instead of an orange aperitif, or a canned spritz that lists far less sugar.

What is in an Aperol spritz

Aperol's own site describes its ready-to-serve spritz as made from Aperol, sparkling wine and soda water. That three-part structure is useful for the calorie math, because each part contributes something different. The sparkling wine brings alcohol and a few grams of sugar. The soda water brings volume and nothing else. Aperol brings most of the sugar, and the catalog row for Aperol shows 11.6g of carbs in a 1.5 oz pour at 11% ABV.

Both rows come straight from the catalog:

Because the spritz is a mixed drink, its exact calories depend on how it is built. The proportions differ from bar to bar, and the listed 186 calories describe the catalog's standard serving, not every glass you will be handed. A taller glass with more sparkling wine, or an extra splash of Aperol, will land higher. A smaller pour or extra soda will land lower.

Is an Aperol spritz a "light" drink?

At 9% ABV the spritz is far below a spirit-based cocktail, which is part of its reputation. The NIAAA describes a US standard drink as 14 grams of pure alcohol and lists aperitifs and liqueurs at roughly 2 to 3 fl oz at around 24% ABV. A 6.7 oz spritz at 9% works out to about 1.0 standard drinks. In calories it sits below the average cocktail (151), but in sugar it is not especially low: 7g of carbs is more than a vodka soda, a glass of dry wine or a plain hard seltzer. The calories in alcohol guide explains where the rest of the energy comes from: the alcohol itself.

Swap 1: a brut sparkling wine instead of the aperitif

If you want something bubbly and orange-adjacent without the aperitif's sugar, a glass of brut sparkling wine is the most direct swap. These are the lowest-carb brut sparkling wines in the catalog, per 5 oz pour:

These list 1g to 2g of carbs per glass. For a more detailed look at champagne, prosecco and sweeter styles, see the sparkling wine carbs guide. If you like the orange color, a mimosa is the other classic: the catalog lists it at 105 calories and 5.7g of carbs for a 5 oz serving.

Swap 2: a canned spritz or spritz seltzer

Many brands now sell canned spritzes. The catalog shows a wide spread, so the word "spritz" on a can does not tell you how light it is. These are the lowest-calorie entries with "spritz" in the name:

The canned spritzes at the top of the table list about 100 calories and 1g to 2g of carbs, compared with 186 calories and 7g for the Aperol Spritz. But the same search also catches wine spritzers, sangria spritzes and canned sparkling cocktails that list far more sugar, so sort by the numbers rather than the name. For the broader category of canned and seltzer options, see the hard seltzer nutrition guide; the average hard seltzer is 105 calories.

Swap 3: a highball with soda and citrus

If the part you like is the bitter orange flavor over ice, a spirit with soda water and an orange slice keeps the sugar close to zero. The low-sugar mixers guide covers how soda water, diet mixers and juice change the carbs of a drink, and the low-calorie cocktails guide lists the lightest drinks to order at a bar. Canned vodka sodas and ranch waters in the catalog often list 0g of carbs and under 100 calories.

Ways to lighten the spritz you already like

• Ask for more soda water and a smaller glass. Soda adds volume, not calories.
• Ask for the aperitif to be measured. It is the main sugar source, so a lighter pour matters more than a lighter sparkling wine.
• Choose a dry sparkling wine. Brut lists the least sugar, as the table above shows.
• Check the serving size when you compare numbers. A 6.7 oz catalog serving is smaller than many restaurant glasses.
• Use the under 150 calories list to browse the lighter options across all types.

For context, the average wine in the catalog is 118 calories and 4.6g of carbs per pour, so wine-based drinks are a fair comparison point. The low-carb wine guide goes deeper.

How to read the numbers

Aperol is an Italian aperitif that sits in the liqueur category in the catalog, and as with other spirits-type products it is not required to carry a full nutrition panel; the TTB lists Serving Facts as optional on distilled spirits labels. Catalog figures combine producer statements and standard calculations, rescaled to the serving shown. The methodology page has the details.

This page is information, not medical advice. The CDC defines moderate drinking as up to two drinks a day for men and one for women when adults choose to drink, and says that drinking less is better for health than drinking more.