Prosecco and sparkling wine cocktails
Sparkling wine turns almost anything into a celebration, and most of these drinks take under two minutes. Prosecco, Cava, Crémant or Champagne all work: the recipe says when it matters.
Keep the bottle very cold and pour slowly down the side of the glass so you keep the bubbles.
10 recipes
Prosecco, Cava or Champagne: what is the difference
Prosecco is Italian, made mostly from the Glera grape, and tastes light, fruity and floral. Cava is Spanish and Champagne is French, and both are made by the traditional method, which gives finer bubbles and a toastier flavour. Prosecco is the usual choice for casual drinks, and it costs less.
Check the sweetness on the label. Brut is the driest. Despite the name, extra dry is slightly sweeter than brut. Choose brut when a recipe adds juice, liqueur or syrup, so the finished drink does not turn sugary.
Easy sparkling drinks
The Aperol spritz is 90 ml prosecco, 60 ml Aperol and 30 ml soda water over ice, a ratio of 3 to 2 to 1. The Bellini is 50 ml white peach purée topped with 100 ml prosecco.
Buck's Fizz is 100 ml sparkling wine and 50 ml orange juice, so twice as much wine as juice. The Kir royale is just 15 ml crème de cassis with 120 ml sparkling wine. None of them needs a shaker.
To build a spritz, pour the prosecco first, then the Aperol, then the soda, and stir once. Extra stirring knocks out the bubbles.
Sparkling cocktails with a spirit
Add a spirit and a sparkling topper becomes a longer, more serious drink. The French 75 shakes 30 ml gin with lemon juice and sugar syrup, then tops it with 60 ml Champagne or prosecco. The Old Cuban does the same with 45 ml aged rum, lime, sugar syrup, mint and bitters.
Shake the base with ice, strain it into the glass, then add the fizz last and pour slowly. Never shake sparkling wine.
The Champagne cocktail is the classic: a sugar cube, Angostura bitters, 15 ml Cognac or brandy and 90 ml sparkling wine. The Poinsettia is a festive option, with 25 ml triple sec, 50 ml cranberry juice and 75 ml prosecco.
Serving sparkling drinks to a crowd
Keep the bottle very cold, and have the glasses ready before you open it. For a party, prepare the bases in advance and add the sparkling wine at the last moment, so every glass is fresh and fizzy.
The spritz is a lighter choice, and spritz and low-alcohol cocktails has more of them. For a celebration, see new year cocktails. Offer water and an alcohol-free option alongside.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between prosecco and Champagne?
Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine made mainly from Glera grapes, while Champagne is French and made by the traditional method. Prosecco tastes lighter and fruitier, and Champagne tastes toastier. Both work in cocktails, and prosecco is the more practical and affordable choice for mixing.
What is in an Aperol spritz?
An Aperol spritz is prosecco, Aperol and soda water over ice. The recipe uses 90 ml of prosecco, 60 ml of Aperol and 30 ml of soda water, a ratio of 3 to 2 to 1, in a large wine glass with an orange slice.
What is in a Bellini?
A Bellini is white peach purée topped with prosecco. This recipe uses 50 ml of chilled white peach purée and 100 ml of well-chilled prosecco, built in a flute. Pour the prosecco slowly and stir gently, so the drink stays light and fizzy.
What is in a Buck's Fizz?
Buck's Fizz is sparkling wine and orange juice in a ratio of 2 to 1. Pour 100 ml of well-chilled Champagne, cava or prosecco into a flute and top with 50 ml of chilled fresh orange juice. Both ingredients should be very cold.
Can I use prosecco instead of Champagne in cocktails?
Yes, prosecco works in most sparkling cocktails, including the French 75, and it is cheaper. Recipes that call for Champagne or dry sparkling wine usually accept prosecco too. Choose a brut prosecco when the recipe adds sweet ingredients.
How do you keep the bubbles in a sparkling cocktail?
Chill the bottle and the glasses well, add the sparkling wine last, and pour it slowly down the side of a tilted glass. Stir once, gently, if you need to. Do not shake sparkling wine, and serve straight away while it is still fizzing.