Sparkling wine can be a valuable tool in the mixologist’s bag of tricks. It is an interesting component in many cocktails, including the classics such as the Champagne Cocktail, Bellini and the French 75. Often sparkling wine drinks are seasonal, bubbly mixes of fresh fruit and juices, they provide a light and refreshing antidote to heavier spirits-based drinks.
“Customers really like sparkling wine in cocktails,” says Kate Tozier, general manager at Grace in Portland, Me. Bartenders mix cocktails with bottles already open for by-the-glass sales, which helps decrease waste by increasing volume. “We go through a lot of Cristalino cava because we incorporate it into our specialty drinks.”
An aperitif of sparkling wine cocktails can also perhaps prime the pump for additional bubbly sales later in the meal. “If a guest has a cocktail with sparkling wine, it opens them up to opportunities [for more sparkling wine] later on,” posits Steven Harris, general manager at Tristan Dining in Charleston, S.C.
Here are a few recipes:
Berry Sparkler
From Tristan Dining, Charleston, S.C.
1 ½ oz. Stoli Razberi
3/4 oz. fresh blackberry puree
3 basil leaves
2 oz. Lemonade
1 oz. Triple sec
1 oz. Champagne or sparkling
Shake first five ingredients together with ice and strain into glass. Top with the Champagne or sparkling wine.
Strawberry Sparkler
From Legal Sea Foods, Boston
1 oz. St-Germain liqueur
½ oz. strawberry puree
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 oz. La Poema Cava Brut
Shake liqueur, puree and lemon juice with ice. Strain into a wine glass and float cava on top.
Holier Than Thou
From Grace, Portland, Me.
1 ½ oz. St-Germain liqueur
3 oz. Pink grapefruit juice
1 ½ oz. Cristalino Cava Brut
Shake the liqueur and juice with ice. Strain it into a Champagne flute and top with a float of cava.
