Sparkling cocktails

What defines a sparkling cocktail

The key ingredient is a sparkling wine, which brings acidity, fine bubbles and a dry, bready or fruity character. Other ingredients are added in small amounts so they support the wine instead of drowning it: a liqueur, a fruit purée, a bitter aperitivo, or a shaken base of spirit, citrus and sugar.

Choosing the wine

• Champagne: fine bubbles and toasty notes, best for drinks where the wine is prominent.
• Crémant and cava: made in the same traditional method, drier and more affordable, excellent for mixing.
• Prosecco: fruitier and softer, the usual choice for a Bellini or a Spritz.
• Sekt: German sparkling wine, ranging from simple to very fine, look for trocken or brut for mixing.

For most drinks a dry style labelled brut works best, because the other ingredients already add sweetness.

Typical ratios

A Kir Royal uses about 10 to 15 ml crème de cassis topped with 100 to 120 ml sparkling wine. The French 75 shakes gin, lemon and sugar and tops them with sparkling wine. The Aperol Spritz is often mixed 3 parts prosecco, 2 parts Aperol and 1 part soda.

Serving tips

Chill the wine, the glass and any other ingredients well. Pour the sparkling wine last, slowly, into a tilted flute or wine glass. Do not shake or stir hard once the wine is in. A single gentle lift with a bar spoon is enough. Open a fresh bottle when you can, as flat wine makes a dull drink.