Gemišt

Gemišt (Croatian White Wine Spritzer)

The quintessential Croatian summer drink: a refreshing, low-alcohol mix of dry white wine and sparkling mineral water over ice with lemon. Simple, balanced, and built for a long afternoon on a sunlit terrace.

Prep

5 min

Total

5 min

Serves

1

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •120 ml (4 fl oz) dry white wine, Croatian Malvazija, Graševina or Pošip preferred; any crisp dry white works. Imported bottle note: Croatian Malvazija from Istria gives the most authentic mineral-herbal snap.
• •120 ml (4 fl oz) sparkling mineral water, Cold, well-carbonated; Croatian brands such as Jamnica or Studena are traditional. Imported bottle note: substitute any strongly carbonated domestic mineral water (e.g. San Pellegrino) — do not use plain soda water or flat tap water, as the dissolved minerals carry the drink.
• •4 g (about 4 ice cubes) ice cubes, Large cubes melt slower and don't over-dilute the glass.
• •2 slice (2 slices) lemon, Unwaxed; 1 placed in the glass and 1 to garnish.

Steps

1. 1 Chill the wine and sparkling mineral water well in advance (target 4–6 °C / 39–43 °F). Cold components are essential — a gemišt served lukewarm is not gemišt.
2. 2 Fill a stemmed wine glass (or tall tumbler) with the ice cubes, leaving about 1.5 cm / ½ inch of space at the rim.
3. 3 Pour the dry white wine over the ice, filling the glass roughly halfway (about 120 ml / 4 fl oz). In hot weather go a little lighter on the wine; on cooler evenings pour a bit more.
4. 4 Top with the sparkling mineral water (about 120 ml / 4 fl oz), pouring gently down the inside of the glass to preserve the fizz.
5. 5 Add one lemon slice into the glass and squeeze the second lightly over the top before placing it on the rim.
6. 6 Do not stir aggressively; one gentle turn is enough. Serve immediately while the bubbles are still lively and the glass is frosty cold.