A Waste of Perfectly Good Champagne? These Sparkling Wine Cocktails Will Make You Think Again

I think we can address the elephant in the room right off the bat on this: Whenever you concoct a cocktail or mixed drink, the higher quality the constituents you use, the greater your drinking pleasure is likely to be. So far, so obvious.

However, when it comes to using Champagne or sparkling wine, there is a sense of precarious balance on just how good your primary ingredient should be. If you start with something that is just “too good,” you really ought to give some thought to savoring it on its own, as the maker intended.

That said, we would never recommend using “cheap” Champagne or sparkling wine simply because you plan to mix it with something else. However, you might want to rethink your choices with this paradox in mind.

You will find some insightful resources for navigating the champagne world in The Lounge by Watchonista’s featured article from last week.

The French 75 may not be the oldest or most popular of the so-called Champagne cocktails, but to us, it has the most interesting backstory. This deceptively potent libation was reportedly a popular choice for hard-drinking American writer Ernest Hemingway during his years in Paris, which led to its unofficial nickname, “A Farewell to Legs.”

The added kick and complexity of cognac in our version stiffens up the whole flavor profile of the bubbly of your choice. Some historical recipes call for a bit of gin instead of cognac, but, given that cognac itself is made from distilling wine, we think it’s the better mixer (plus, it’s the more wintery approach).

Thus, enjoying our French 75 means you are savoring a drink that is 100% grape-based, and if you opt for “big C” Champagne and terroir-approved cognac, it is also 100% French.
 

– 1.5 oz of cognac (about a shot)
– 0.5 to 0.75 oz of fresh lemon juice
– 0.25 to 0.5 oz of simple syrup (make your own by boiling equal parts granulated sugar and water and chill)
– About 3 oz of chilled Champagne or sparkling wine (to the top of the flute)
– 1 lemon twist as garnish
 

Combine the cognac, lemon juice, and simple syrup in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Give it a 10-second shake, then strain the chilled liquid into a chilled champagne flute. Top the flute off with chilled Champagne or sparkling wine, and give it a gentle stir with a swizzle stick. Garnish with the lemon twist, begin drinking, and monitor any numbness in your legs.

Another libation of French origin, this brilliant ruby-red cocktail underwent a modern revival during the early days of Silicon Valley (where California sparkling wine was no doubt frequently used). Still, it is long overdue for another round of popular rebirth.

In the Kir Royale, the dark red, blackcurrant-derived liqueur crème de cassis is employed not only for its color, but also for its complementary sweetness.
 

– 0.5 to 1 oz of chilled crème de cassis liqueur to taste
– 5 to 6 oz of chilled Champagne or sparkling wine (again to the top of the flute, a drier version is recommended)
– Some kind of small berry for garnish, if desired
 

Pour the chilled créme de cassis into the bottom of a champagne flute. Slowly pour the Champagne or sparkling wine to top off the flute to let the bubbles naturally “mix” the constituents. For garnish, drop in a small berry of some sort, if you want. We recommend letting your eye drink in the lovely red color of what you just made before enjoying your first sip.

You can thank Venice, Italy, for what is probably the most palette-pleasing version of a simple bubbly-and-fruit cocktail recipe. The unexpected use of peaches, either in nectar or purée form (purée is preferable), has a more subtle stone fruit sweetness that complements sparkling wine, as peaches are less overwhelming than tangier citrus flavors.
 

– 2 oz of chilled white peach purée (you can try to make your own, but excellent canned options are available commercially from companies like Ravifruit)
– About 4 oz of chilled Prosecco (the tell-tale instruction to pour to the top of the flute continues)
– A fresh peach slice or sprig of mint for garnish
 

Pour the chilled peach puree into a champagne flute. Slowly add the Prosecco to the top, and give the whole thing a quick, but gentle, single stir with a long-handled bar spoon. Add a garnish, if so desired, and “cin cin!”

While thoughts of this drink conjure up visions of sleazy bar shills soaking dime-a-dance-hall patrons for an expensive cocktail, the actual classic version is a remarkably legitimate riff on the godfather of great cocktails: the Old-Fashioned.

Any drink that requires extra effort and attention from your bartender is usually worth it. And as a former bartender myself, I can say that muddling a soaked cube of sugar for a drink of this nature is much preferable to mashing fresh mint leaves for a mojito.
 

– 1 sugar cube
– Multiple dashes of Angostura bitters to taste
– 4 to 6 oz chilled Champagne or sparkling wine (again, think to the top)
– 1 maraschino cherry (a “real” maraschino from a company like Luxardo is a non-optional garnish in my book)
– 1 lemon or orange slice, if you insist
 

Drop the sugar cube into a chilled champagne flute. Dash the cube directly with Angostura bitters until it’s saturated (and maybe a little bit more). Then, very, and I mean, VERY gently muddle the soaked cube with a wooden bar muddler until the cube is broken up (an official bar muddler looks like a miniature baseball bat, but I’ve used a thin wooden spoon handle on occasion).

This muddling step is controversial, so there are other options.

If you are even a tiny bit nervous about cracking the flute (or the bottom of your flute is too narrow), muddle the cube in a sturdier, flat-bottomed glass, then transfer it into the flute. Alternatively, you can skip the muddling step entirely; the drink will naturally dissolve the bitters-soaked sugar cube at the bottom and infuse its flavors into the drink on its own. That said, we recommend some form of muddling to get the best flavor.

Pour in your bubbly to the top. Drop in a quality maraschino cherry and garnish as you will. Take a sip and ask the next person who asks you to dance for a dime.

The perfunctory accompaniment to the unfortunate concept of “brunch” (which is now a global option that is based on its uninspiring American origins as a late breakfast served with a melon slice) can be jumped up beyond its humble OJ and champagne basics with some thoughtful modifications that enhance the natural play of citrus and champagne flavors.

Using fresh-squeezed orange juice over whatever most brunch spots have sitting around in a pitcher is the first step to a more sophisticated drink.
 

– 2 oz fresh-squeezed, strained orange juice (try blood orange juice if you want to really glam it up)
– 0.25 oz of orange liqueur (think Grand Mariner or Cointreau to add a drier orange flavor note)
– 4 oz of chilled Champagne or sparkling wine (not to the top this time, and a drier version will help with the citrus sweetness)
– Orange twist or a rosemary or mint sprig as a garnish, if so desired
 

Temperature and ingredient order are the keys here: Chill your flute, chill your juice, chill your bubbly. Pour the orange liqueur into the chilled flute first, then tilt the glass and slowly pour in the chilled Champagne or sparkling wine to fill about 2/3 of the flute.

The chilled, strained juice goes last, and the pouring motion and heavier density of it should naturally integrate it with the wine (avoid any stirring). Garnish, sip, and eat your bacon and eggs at 1:00 pm, just like everyone else.