With spring around the corner, wedding season will be here before we know it—including my wedding. My fiancée and I will be tying the knot in September in Dana Point, California. I, of course, am more of a wine guy, but she is more the fruity cocktail type. That makes a Champagne- or sparkling wine-based cocktail a great choice for a our signature wedding drink. The Classic Champagne Cocktail is crafted with Angostura bitters, sugar, brandy and a lemon or orange twist, but many variations and ‘twists’ exist.
blood orange champagne cocktail
ingredients: 1 sugar cube, dash of blood orange bitters, blood orange twist, Champagne
method: Drop sugar cube into chilled flute and soak with blood orange bitters. Top with your favorite sparkling wine. Flame the orange twist and drop it in. Refreshing!
french 75
This is named after the famed French 75mm rapid-fire artillery piece design of World War I fame.
ingredients: 1.5 ounces of gin, ¾ ounce lemon juice, ½ ounce agave nectar, Champagne, lemon twist
method: In cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients over ice, except the Champagne. Shake vigorously. Strain into chilled flute and top with Champagne. Garnish with lemon twist. Look out!
kir royale
ingredients: ¼ ounce crème de cassis or Chambord
method: In a chilled champagne flute, place the crème de cassis and slowly add Champagne until the flute is filled. For the Kir Imperial, use Chambord instead and garnish with a black raspberry.
elderflower
ingredients: ½ ounce St. Germaine liqueur; ½ once fresh lemon juice; prosecco, cremant d’alsace or Champagne
method: Combine liqueur and juice in a chilled flute or wine glass. Top with the sparkling wine. Try a touch of melted elderberry jam or elderberry syrup for an interesting variation I call the Royal Elder.
commendatore luxardo
ingredients: ½ ounce Luxardo cherry syrup, 1 Luxardo cherry, ½ ounce grappa, dash of vanilla extract
method: Combine ingredients above and top with Franciacorta Extra Brut. Garnish with a sprig of thyme for a Marconi plume.
hibiscus blueberry syrup recipe
Make a tea from dried hibiscus flowers and reduce with fresh blueberries and sugar to create hibiscus blueberry syrup.
15 to 20 dried hibiscus flowers
2 c. fresh blueberries
2 c. sugar
5 c. water
» Boil the water. Turn off and let calm.
» Add the hibiscus flowers and steep for 20 minutes. Strain.
» Combine tea with fresh, smashed blueberries and sugar.
» Reduce and strain to desired consistency.
» For your cocktail, add ½ ounce of your new syrup to a champagne glass and top with rosé Champagne.
» Garnish with a dried or fresh hibiscus flower. Cheers!
Jeffrey Hall is the sommelier for the Four Seasons Hotel-St. Louis.
