Champagne Flute
Recipe:
.5 oz. Hendricks Grand Cabaret Gin
.5 oz. Combier Original
1 Dash Woodford Reserve Orange Bitters
1 Rough Cut Sugar Cube
4 oz. Pierre Sparr Cremant Brut Reserve
Garnish: None
Directions: This is a built cocktail. Start with a chilled flute and add the rough cut sugar cube, then the bitters, then the gin and the orange liqueur, then top with Cremant. Be careful, as when the sparkling hits the cube it can bubble up fast, just take it easy and pour till the champagne settles down and the glass it almost full.
Technique: This is the way a classic Champagne Cocktail (of which this drink is based on) is made. Built in the glass. In old days, a bartender might use a twisted bar spoon to pour the champagne down to keep, but that is not necessary. If the crémant (sparkling wine from Alsace France) bubbles up to fast, just let it settle and then continue.
Tools needed: A cold Champagne flute and jigger. A bar spoon is always helpful to have around.
When thinking of elegant entertainment, the mind instantly goes to Champagne. At every sporting championship, every award show, every important party, champagne and sparkling wine has been a sign of victory for generations. Sparkling is a great cocktail ingredient. Think French 75, Kir Royal and, of course, the ever-famous Champagne Cocktail. This drink takes the build and style of what has worked for ages and updates it with a little twist. Brandy is traded out for gin and orange liqueur. The orange bitters add depth, as the bitter orange helps balance the sweet orange of the liqueur and adds more body to the gin. The sparkling crémant is bright and light. Mainly made from Pinot Blanc, the crémant doesn’t have the same bready body that a big traditional champagne would. Also, the wines of Pierre Sparr are from Alsace, which is a truly unique region and terroir. These wines have exceptional elegance, mixed with approachability and complexity that are signatures of the producer. Ultimately this twist of a classic is meant to be big and bright, both in texture and flavor, exactly the type of drink to raise a toast to victory to.
The drink takes the name Standing Ovation from the idea of those standing and clapping to toast a winner.
*Notes:
The rough-cut sugar cube won’t add a ton of sweetness as it won’t fully dissolve but should really make the sparkling wine bubble and fizz. However, pressed cubes like domino dots won’t have the same effect. If you are staying away from sugar, remove the cube all together.
Options: The Sparr Cremant is a great sparkling wine, however, you can use cava or any dry sparkling that you have around, even brut champagne. You may want to stay away from Rose, Prosecco, and Demi-Sec as they could be ultimately too sweet, but that is up to each individual preference.
