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Classic Champagne Cocktail Recipe
Elegant without being fussy, the Classic Champagne Cocktail is a natural choice for a wedding toast, an anniversary, a corporate reception or a private dinner. A sugar cube scented with bitters slowly flavors the sparkling wine as it dissolves, creating a festive drink with a beautiful stream of bubbles.
Ingredients
- 1 sugar cube (about 1/4 oz by volume)
- 2 to 3 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1/8 oz total)
- 4 oz chilled brut Champagne or other dry sparkling wine
Steps
- Place the sugar cube in a chilled flute.
- Soak the cube with 2 to 3 dashes of bitters and let it sit briefly.
- Slowly fill the glass with chilled sparkling wine. Pour in stages as the bubbles rise.
- Let the cube continue to dissolve, then serve without stirring.
Glass:
Champagne flute or coupe
Garnish:
Lemon twist, or a brandied cherry for a traditional festive finish
Serving it at your event
For 10 servings, set out 10 sugar cubes, prepare 20 to 30 dashes of bitters, and chill 40 oz sparkling wine. Add a bitters-soaked cube to each flute just before service, then pour 4 oz sparkling wine per glass. This preserves the bubbles and keeps the presentation graceful. For a streamlined toast, bitters can be measured onto the cubes in advance, but add the wine only when guests are ready. The free Alcohol Calculator can help you estimate bottles for your guest count. Give Us A Shot can serve Champagne and other sparkling drinks from its Single Tap Cart, a stainless mobile bar cart with a built-in tap and drop-in ice chest.
Zero-proof variation
Place 1/4 oz demerara syrup or simple syrup in a flute, add 2 dashes of alcohol-free aromatic bitters, and top slowly with 4 oz chilled alcohol-free sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist. Because zero-proof bitters vary, taste the first drink and adjust the bitters to keep the result fragrant rather than overly spiced.
Serve promptly, keep extra sparkling wine cold, and offer water alongside the toast so guests can pace themselves comfortably.
