San Limello Spritz – alcohol-free

San Limello Spritz ready-to-drink with lemon and Riesling

San Limello Spritz is the ready-to-drink lemon aperitif from Dr. Jaglas. Added to the citrus base is dealcoholized sparkling Riesling from the Rheingau winery Leitz, which contributes minerality and a fine perlage. No mixing, no alcohol, just chill and pour.

The San Limello Spritz comes in a 750 ml bottle and is pre-mixed. At 50%, the dealcoholized wine makes up half the experience, while the rest consists of the lemon base from the Berlin range. If you are already familiar with the Limello, you can now enjoy it in its most convenient form.

Mineral, tart, and light

In the glass, it sparkles a pale straw yellow; the nose detects lemon zest over a subtle wine note, while it remains dry and lean on the palate.

The Riesling brings something to the table that lemon alone cannot. It provides a mineral foundation beneath the fruit and gives the aperitif a length usually only found in wine. What remains is a spritz that starts floral and finishes with a tart, herbal note.

For the wine base, Dr. Jaglas collaborates with Johannes Leitz, a Rheingau VDP winemaker who is among the pioneers of dealcoholized wine. The difference compared to cheap grape juice blends can be tasted in the very first sip—there was a wine here first, from which the alcohol was later removed.

Ice-cold with salmon and Asian cuisine

The San Limello Spritz should be drunk cold. At about 8 degrees Celsius, the perlage shows itself to its best advantage.

Wine glass, a few ice cubes, pour—no more effort is required. A slice of lemon or a sprig of mint doesn't hurt, but neither is necessary. It is more important that the bottle is thoroughly chilled: lukewarm, the spritz loses its tension and suddenly tastes like lemonade.

At the table, it pairs well with light cuisine. Salmon, Asian dishes with ginger and coriander, or a bowl of light grapes suit it well. It is also suitable as a companion throughout a long meal because it keeps the palate clean instead of overwhelming it.

For larger gatherings, it is the most relaxed solution anyway. One bottle fills about five glasses, and no one has to stand at the table measuring things out while the guests wait. Two bottles should be kept chilled; one is rarely enough.

Once opened, the bottle should be kept in the refrigerator and emptied within 2 to 3 days, otherwise it will lose its carbonation. Unopened, it lasts a good 2 years. If you prefer to mix it yourself, choose the San Limello in the apothecary bottle, and if you like it floral and tart, the Hibiscus Spritz.

Why an apothecary calls a winemaker

Working with alcohol-free ingredients is harder than working with high-proof spirits. Alcohol carries flavors, dissolves them, and preserves them—if it's removed, something else must step in.

That is exactly why Christina Jagla brought a winemaker on board for the Spritz line instead of assembling the base herself. The apothecary provides the herbal and citrus extracts, the Rheingau winemaker provides the wine, and together they create more structure than either side could provide alone.

The craft comes from Wuppertal, where father Helmut Jagla runs the Park-Apotheke in the Elberfeld Luisenviertel district and the family prepares their elixirs through cold maceration. The herbal specialties were intended to reach beyond the Bergisches Land region, says Christina Jagla about her start in Berlin at the end of 2015.

The result is a range that is found in bars as well as in fine dining—Christina Jagla produces exclusive editions for the three-star Berlin restaurant Rutz. The Spritz is also vegan. You can find everything else in the Dr. Jaglas collection, and if you would like to get to know the individual aperitif bases, go for the Aperitif Trio.