There’s no need to start off your night with a poorly mixed beverage with bland tonic or soda, make every sip count. A little bubbly can liven up even the blandest of evenings and kickstart a night of total debauchery. It’s certainly not just for celebrating, although it feels particularly momentous to pop bottles without taking a nearby pal out. We’ve rounded up five fabulous fizz mixtures to put a little zing in your glass. There’s even a cocktail crafted by a couple of F1 drivers, in case you fancy yourself living in the fast lane.
#1 Chandon Cherry Blossom
Sweet and minimalist, this sparkling option is sure to make you think of red Starbursts with a zest of lime.
Ingredients
60ml Chandon Brut or Chandon Rose
8ml red cherry juice
1 dash lime juice
1 red cherry
How to prepare?
Pour the red cherry and the lime juice Into a chilled flute glass, then fill It with the Chandon of your choice. Place one red cherry on the glass as garnishment.
#2 Pink and Gold
A simple take on the classic glass of bubbly, with a little finesse thrown in. Has a beverage ever been so equally photogenic and easy to make?
Ingredients
Chandon Brut or Chandon Rose
2 dried strawberries
1/2 teaspoon gold sugar pearls
How to prepare?
Fill the flute glass with the Chandon of your choice, gently drop the dried strawberries one by one and add the gold sugar pearls for a luxury finish.
#3 The Spark by Stoffel
A fruity fanfare with a touch of mint, the sparkling plays the perfect host to the busy flavours without crowding the taste. A tropical celebration in a glass at the hands of the Formula 1 driver, Stoffel.
Ingredients
Chandon Brut or Chandon Rosé
Raspberry – 3 units
Blackberry – 2 units
Strawberry – 1 unit
Pineapple – 2 cubes
Syrup with mint – 10 ml (or 10 ml simple syrup and add 2 mint leaves)
How to prepare?
In a cocktail shaker, muddle the fruits and the syrup. Shake with a bit of Chandon. Strain twice into a glass and fill with Chandon. Garnish with berries on top.
#4 Chandon Sparkles
The fusion between the orange and sparkling cinnamon results in an explosion of flavours as it hits your tongue. Think the cinnamon challenge made delightful.
Ingredients
Chandon Brut
10ml orange syrup (recipe below)
Cinnamon powder
How to prepare?
Fill a chilled flute with Chandon Brut, then add the orange syrup. Use a blowtorch to burn some cinnamon powder while sprinkling on the glass.
Orange Syrup
Ingredients
1L water
2kg cane sugar
Peel of 6 oranges
How to prepare?
Heat the water in a saucepan. When close to the boiling point turn off the heat. Add sugar and stir until it dissolves. Add the orange peel and stir again. Let it rest for 2 hours and then strain.
#5 The Spark by Fernando Alonso
Showing off Alonso’s Spanish heritage, this drink perfectly blends the spiciness of the pepper to the outstanding grapefruit flavour, a surprising combination you’re sure to enjoy.
Ingredients
60 ml Chandon Brut
10ml pink pepper berries syrup (recipe below)
40ml grapefruit juice
1 chilli pepper
Ice cubes to chill
How to prepare?
Chill the pink pepper syrup and the grapefruit juice in the mixing glass. Strain the mixture to a flute glass and then add Chandon Brut. Garnish with chilli pepper.
Pink Pepper Berries Syrup
Ingredients
1L water
2kg cane sugar
50g crushed pink pepper
How to prepare?
Heat the water in a saucepan. When close to the boiling point turn off the heat. Add sugar and stir until it dissolves. Add the crushed pink pepper and stir again. Let it rest for 1 hour 30 minutes and then strain it to remove the pepper residues.
Image source: Chandon, Le Decor Australia.
