Welcome to Clubhouse Eats, where we celebrate the game’s most delectable food and drink. Hope you brought your appetite.
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New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, which means people will be popping bottles of Champagne (and other sparkling wines) all around the world. While there’s nothing wrong with a straight pour of celebratory bubbles, a splash of sparkling wine to a cocktail can elevate it to new heights.
Nic Wallace, the spirits and bars manager at Sea Island, is one who enthusiastically embraces the use of sparkling wine in cocktails. In fact, he reveals that one of his favorite ways to incorporate it is to use it in place of club soda in classic highballs. “It really provides a crisp, citrus driven alternative to classic sparkling water,” he says.
If you’re someone who has long believed that sparkling cocktails are made for a more delicate, feminine audience, you need to shake that from your mind. According to Wallace, it simply isn’t true. Moreover, he declares that there’s a delicious world of sparkling cocktails out there that many people have yet to discover. For that reason, we’ve shared some of the bar manager’s best advice for crafting great bubbly beverages at home. “There are countless ways to incorporate effervescence in a great cocktail, no matter the base for it,” he says, “and I love using sparkling wine of all styles to heighten the drinking experience.”
Balancing Act
When it comes to lengthening cocktails with bubbly — especially with bubbles of the alcoholic variety — it’s important to remember that a sparkling wine topper will compound the drink’s strength (in ABV). For that reason, Wallace encourages discretionary spirit measures that don’t exceed an ounce. Also, he explains that the high levels of carbon-dioxide from the wine will boost the flavor of other modifiers, which means restraint is of the utmost importance. “Sparkling wine is an excellent flavor carrier,” he says, “so a marginal amount of syrup or juice will greatly impact the overall flavor of the finished product.”
Speaking of Sweeteners
Many different styles of sparkling wine can produce delicious cocktails, Wallace says, but he’s quick to point out that they’re not always interchangeable based on the cocktail that’s being created. In many respects, the differences between those wines and the impact they have hinges on their overall sugar content. “A classic Blanc-de-Blanc from France,” he says, “won’t have the same levels of sugar that you would find in an Italian Spumante.” In other words, a cocktail could be thrown way out of balance if, as he says, “you simply try to plug and play with sparkling wine.”
Bottle Basics
You might now be asking, “How do I know which wine is right for my cocktail?” The answer might require a bit of experimentation, which can be fun; but Wallace also has some tips that could steer you in the right direction from the start. If you intend for your guests to enjoy multiple sparkling cocktails, for example, you might want to consider using a non-alcoholic sparkling wine, of which there are several good examples (Wallace likes Odd Bird and Chateau del ISH). Additionally, the primary flavors of a cocktail can dictate which sparkling topper works best. “If the cocktail emphasizes lighter, more citrus-forward characteristics, I will go for a Prosecco,” the bar manager says. “If the cocktail is leaning towards heavier flavors of dark fruits and aged spirits, a sparkling Rose would be fantastic.”
Raising the Right Glass
When it comes to serving sparkling wine, the traditional Champagne flute is what most people think of first. And while Wallace believes that classic vessel “adds a level of opulence to any situation,” he acknowledges it’s not necessarily the perfect serving glass for a sparkling cocktail. “I prefer to use glassware such as a large Nick & Nora glass or a Marie Antoinette coupe,” he says, “which allows for more aromatics to effect the drinking experience.”
Classics & Contemporaries
There’s no shortage of exceptional sparkling cocktails ready to be mixed up and enjoyed, especially newer concoctions made by contemporary bartenders and mixologists. As Wallace points out, “there are a ton of great modern examples of sparkling cocktails out there these days, and bartenders are creating more and more all the time.”
That said, the bar manager is also partial to a well-built French 75, which is why we’ve included his rendition of that recipe below, along with a pair of newer sparkling creations that are served at two of Sea Island’s most popular bars. Cheers!
Nic’s French 75
1 oz. new American gin (recommended: Murrells Row Tulsi Gin)
0.5 oz. Orange Blossom Honey syrup
0.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
3 oz. Prosecco
1 dash of Orange Bitters
The Britney Spritz (served at The River Bar at Sea Island)
1.25 oz. Corazon Reposado Tequila
0.5 oz. Lazzaroni Amaretto
0.25 oz. Giffard Vanille de Madagascar
0.75 oz. Passion Fruit Puree
1 oz. Fever Tree Yuzu Lime Soda
0.5 oz. Lime Juice
1 oz. Prosecco (Served on the side in a glass filled with pop rocks, all of which is added to the cocktail when ready to serve.)
Sgroppino al Mango (served at The Georgian Rooms at Sea Island)
1 oz. Avua Cachaca
1.5 oz. Bespoke Distillery Melon Cream
1 Scoop of Mango Sorbet
0.25 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
2 oz. Prosecco
