Champagne is recognized as the universal symbol of good news, and this cocktail's simple recipe shows that life doesn't have to be complicated to be enjoyed. A classic Champagne Cocktail may not be a trendy drink these days, but as a classic, it’s as good as when Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr sipped it in An Affair To Remember.
A great Champagne stands on its own and should be sipped solo, whereas an inexpensive sparkling wine benefits from the bitters and the sugar cube keeps those bubbles hopping.
Classic Champagne Cocktail Recipe: Six ounces of Champagne or sparkling wine and a sugar cube soaked in Angostura bitters is all it takes to make a sophisticated cocktail for the New Year. Drop the sugar cube into a tall flute glass, and then slowly add champagne and a lemon twist.
Tips: With the Champagne Cocktail, you can trust the bitters to take the edge off a lesser quality champagne or sparkling wine. For this drink, you can use a less expensive wine, spending about $10 to $18 for a good domestic bottle. Or, as I personally prefer to use a good Prosecco for under $15.
When opening Champagne or Prosecco, use a gentle twist - save the bubbles for the inside of the glass and not the floor.
Optional: If bitters in sparkling wine is not your cup of tea, a Prosecco Spritzer Cocktail could be the toast for you. To a glass of prosecco, omit bitters, sugar and lemon and replace with splash of limoncello and Cognac and go all Amalifi-like. Cin cin!
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