Spirited Champagne
Love Champagne but want something a little more stimulating? Something with a little bit of color? Something with a little flavor? You’re in luck because Champagne is a fantastic cocktail ingredient.
The Champagne Cocktail is a stunning drink that epitomizes the elegance possible when mixing Champagne and spirits. Not only does this classic drink have a semi-sweet, semi-dry palate but when that Champagne hits the bitter-soaked sugar and a fountain of bubbles stream to the top, it is visually impressive.
To Make a Champagne Cocktail: Place a sugar cube in the bottom of a Champagne flute and saturate it with 2-3 dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters. Add 1 oz of brandy and fill with Champagne, garnishing with an orange slice and cherry.
Beyond the Champagne Cocktail, the Mimosa is probably the other well-known bubbly mixed drink and if you have never had this Champagne, Cointreau and orange juice drink at brunch you are really missing out. Following that sparkling wine, liqueur, fruit juice formula, the Château Cardillo has a slightly darker profile and the Chambord and pear juice are a pleasant change, especially when paired with a Brut Champagne.
One of the more interesting bubbly concoctions is one of the oldest and goes by the name Black Velvet. The drink itself is nothing more than an equal amount of Champagne and stout and it’s a trick to pour because you don’t want a head on your Champagne. As intriguing as the drink may be, it is one of acquired taste. Supposedly this drink has a story behind it steeped in royalty. It’s said that in 1861 when Queen Victoria’s husband Albert died a bartender in London created the Black Velvet for those imbibers in mourning. Appropriately enough the name refers to the draping of black velvet cloths over the Champagne bottles.
A much more modern creation is the luscious and lively There Will Be Rum (pictured). It was created as part of a promotion during this year’s Oscars to pay homage to the film (if you haven’t guessed it already) There Will Be Blood. The red cocktail is sweet and best with Mumm Champagne for a well-rounded effervescent finish.
- 1 oz Malibu Rum
- 1 oz ruby red grapefruit juice
- dash of grenadine syrup
- chilled G.H. Mumm Champagne
- strawberry slice for garnish
Shake the rum, grapefruit juice and grenadine. Strain into a Champagne glass. Fill up with Champagne. Garnish with a strawberry slice on the rim.
