Few things beat the magical feel of sipping a fancy bubbly on a special occasion like New Year’s Eve. While champagne is the traditional fizz for a celebratory toast, how about you take it a notch higher with a champagne cocktail?
Yes, you got that right. Cocktails are a classic way to elevate the sophistication of champagnes.
Cocktails and champagne might be from different ends of the world, but whipped up together with the right recipe, they create magical, effervescent toast with high notes.
Our Top 5 Champagne Picks for New Year
1. Champagne Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label
Veuve Clicquot is a global favorite. With Pinot Noir as its primary grape, this champagne truly has the ideal combination of richness and elegance.
It’s hard to deny the stunning visual appeal of a Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label bottle. It’s a vibrant yellow, and it’s frothing with small bubbles that form a necklace.
Aroma
It has a pleasant aroma that brings to mind first yellow and white fruits, then vanilla, and finally brioche. It’s aged in a bottle for three years until the fruity aromas have developed a harmonious balance.
Taste
The first sip unleashes a symphony of fruit flavors, led by pear and lemon, which is the signature of the champagne. It’s remarkable how this champagne balances strength and smoothness. Its fragrant strength and abundant freshness keep them perfectly balanced.
2. Moet Imperial Ice Rose
Moet Ice Imperial Rose is best served chilled. It’s an innovative take on the classic champagne taste that fuses the sensations of both refreshment and pleasure. The bright pink color of the glass makes it a stand out for any NYE gathering.
Aroma
The wine has an inviting, fruity aroma, dominated by notes of sweet red fruits like cherries and berries (Morello cherry, lingonberry, and cranberry).
Taste
It has a delicious grenadine undertone with hints of ripe summer fruits like fig and nectarine. The combination of sweetness and firmness makes for a delightful mouthfeel.
The sweetness, reminiscent of berries, fades and becomes lighter, bringing a pleasing mix of fruitiness and freshness. In the end, a beautifully bittersweet pink grapefruit note emerges, making for a refreshing taste.
3. Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Brut
The shimmering, pale gold color of this one-of-a-kind champagne is both festive and satisfying.
Aroma
The Cuvée Brut has a charming vitality and hints of almond and fresh hazelnut since it is a blend of 100 crus, most of which are Pinot Noir.
Taste
It has a vibrant and sophisticated flavor, with a pleasantly sharp aftertaste that’s characterized by the crispness of fresh pear and apple.
4. Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne
The most recognizable champagne produced by Moet is the Imperial Brut. It was first produced in 1869 and perfectly captures the distinctive Moet & Chandon style, characterized by a lively fruitiness, enticing palate, and refined maturity.
Taste
There’s a sweetness to the bubbles in Moet Chandon Imperial Brut. Champagne grapes (Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay) blend in their production.
Chardonnay determines the wine’s acidity, finesse, and freshness; Pinot Noir establishes the wine’s structure and intensity. Freshness and suppleness are the goals of Pinot Meunier grapes.
Aroma
To achieve the optimal flavor and aroma, they age this champagne for 5+ years. It also has a delicate straw color and lively tiny bubbles with a hint of floral, vanilla, and grape aromas.
5. Moet Rose Imperial Signature GB
Rosé Impérial expresses Moët & Chandon’s vibrant fruitiness, alluring palate, and refined maturity in a spontaneous, radiant, passionate way.
The distinctive brushstroke of the Maison in metallic pink against the matte black bottle serves as an inspiration for the label of this limited edition bottle.
Taste
It’s energetic, with notes of ripe red fruits like cherries, wild strawberries, and raspberries. In addition, there are faint hints of pepper and rose.
Aroma
Strawberry and cherry flavors are prominent on the palate. The raspberry makes for an incredibly well-balanced base. Along with the minty freshness, there is also a rich, fruity peach aroma.
Now, let's look at how you can use these champagnes to make a tasteful cocktail.
Here are the top five champagne cocktail recipes you can try this New Year's Eve.
Champagne Cocktails You Must Try
This New Years Eve
Note : You will need a cocktail shaker. Don't have one? No problem! We have the perfect 6 Piece Cocktail Shaker Set ready to be shipped to your door.
1. French 75
French 75 is a world-famous champagne cocktail first prepared during World War I. It’s named after the powerful French 75 mm artillery gun and, true to its name, delivers a potent kick with each sip.
To prepare this citrusy bubbly drink, you will need the following ingredients:
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Preparation
- Combine the cognac, gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice inside a shaker that’s full of cracked ice.
- Mix it well with a shake to combine and chill the ingredients.
- Strain the mixture into a champagne glass and top it off with champagne or sparkling white wine.
- Garnish with a lemon twist for that extra lemony flavor.
2. The Loyal's Champagne Cocktail
NYC bartender and liquor aficionado, Salvatore Tafuri, created Loyal's Champagne Cocktail. This mixed drink is popular for its never-ending sparkles as the sugar keeps bubbling as it dissolves.
To prepare this drink, you will need the following ingredients:
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Preparation
- Combine the sugar cube, angostura bitters, and cognac in a coupe glass before topping it with chilled champagne.
- Garnish with lemon and orange twists.
3. Sparkling Ginger
The Sparkling Ginger is a well-balanced champagne cocktail that will see you enjoy notes of spice layered into a sweet and sour boozy drink. You will love that this drink is as delicious as it looks, making it an ultimate pick for New Year.
To prepare it, you will need the following:
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Preparation
- Heat some water in a saucepan and add the sugar and ginger, then let it simmer for ten minutes
- Let the mixture chill for two hours. You can also leave it overnight
- Strain the ginger pieces, then stir in Bourbon or vodka into the ginger syrup
- Take your champagne glass and coat its rim with juice from the sliced lemon
- Immediately dredge it in sugar and pour the mixture of bourbon or vodka and ginger syrup into the glass
- Top it off with your sparkling wine or champagne, and enjoy.
4. Cran Royale
Cran Royale is a colorful champagne cocktail with exploding tastes that will make New Year celebrations memorable.
To prepare this fancy drink, you will need the following ingredients:
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Preparation
- Place your water, thyme, sugar and cranberries into a pan and cook over low heat. Gently stir the mixture. Add sugar until it dissolves and the cranberries have started to release their color. The process should take between 12-15 minutes.
- Strain into a cup or bowl and let the mixture cool
- Mix Campari with the fresh lemon and cranberry-thyme syrup in a cocktail shaker full of ice
- Shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds and strain it into a glass
- Top it with champagne or dry sparkling wine and garnish with fresh cranberries.
5. Kir Royale
Kir Royale is another famous cocktail from France with an interesting origin (a Catholic priest first prepared it). This drink introduces a fruity twist and a little sweetness to the sparkling wine for the perfect New Year toast.
To prepare this gorgeous-looking drink, you will need the following ingredients:
- Champagne
- One tbsp Crème de Cassis
- Two fresh blackberries (you can also use raspberries).
- Strain into a cup or bowl and let the mixture cool
Preparation
- Pour the Crème de Cassis into a flute glass and add champagne
- Leave it to settle before garnishing it with fresh blackberries.
Guide To Choosing the Right Champagne
for Your New Year Celebration
A lot goes into choosing the ideal champagne for New Year celebration. There are a few things to consider, such as the type and flavor profile of the champagne you want to buy.
When it comes to types of champagne, there is dry and sweet champagne. The category a champagne falls into depends on its sweetness levels:
Brut Natures, Extra Brut, and Brut: These are dry champagnes.
Extra Brut pairs well with white meat, shellfish, and fish, while Brut is great for salty foods such as cheddar popcorn.
Demi-Sec, Sec, Extra Dry, and Extra Sec: They are neither too dry nor too sweet champagnes. They pair easily with most foods and desserts as long as they are not too spicy or sweet.
Doux: These are the sweetest champagnes and pair well with sweet, sour, and savory dishes. They are excellent for Indian, Thai, or Chinese cuisines.
The next element to consider is the tier of champagne, which indicates the quality of the champagne. The standard tiers of champagne:
Classic: An entry-level champagne that works great for social occasions.
Reserve: These are champagnes with a little age and good quality, often costing a bit more
Prestige: These are high-quality champagnes made from top-of-the-line grapes.
Armed with these tips, you can easily pick the best champagne for your New Year celebration. But, you must also factor in the price of champagne, and it is best to settle on a bottle you won’t feel guilty splurging on. On the other hand, it's a New Year celebration, and you have all the reasons to go all out – so why not go for the crème de la crème?
FAQs
What to Serve With Champagne Cocktails?
You can serve champagne cocktails with numerous food pairings, but the most outstanding ones are:
- Oysters
- Cheese
- Caviar
- Fruit desserts, and
- Canapés.
Which Are Your Top Five Champagne to Use for Cocktails?
Our top 5 champagne picks to use for cocktails are:
- Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label
- Moet Ice Imperial Rose
- Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Brut
- Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne
- Moet Rose Imperial Signature GB.
Does Chocolate Pair With Champagne?
Yes, chocolate is always a delightful match with champagne. For an exciting combination, go for dark chocolate when having dry champagne and chocolates with lower percentages of cocoa when having sweet sparkling wine.
Planning on trying your hand at these Champagne Cocktail recipes? Make sure to tag us on Instagram so we can share your post!
To all Nestor Liquor loyal and new customers, wishing you a happy, safe and festive New Year. Thank you for being such valued customers.