Traditional Mimosas and Bellinis have long reigned supreme as go-to bubbly cocktails. But the versatility of sparkling wine lends itself to so much more. Enjoy our round-up of five sparkling wine cocktail recipes for the summer, featuring three of Frank Family’s diverse and delicious hand-crafted bubblies. Recipes are curated by Frank Family’s Director of Hospitality, Liam Gearity, who managed the wine and spirits programs at some of the finest restaurants from New York City to Beverly Hills before joining our winery team in 2015.
Napa Valley Sunrise
This creative take on a mimosa, is one of our favorite ways to enjoy the Rouge sparkling wine, particularly at a Sunday brunch gathering. The key is to use fresh orange juice with some pulp in it, which will help keep the color separation between the juice and the wine. Pouring the sparkling wine over the back side of a spoon will allow the wine to spread out when it hits the orange juice and keep the two liquids separate, creating an impactful presentation.
Ingredients
2 oz Fresh squeezed orange juice 3 oz Frank Family Rouge Sparkling Wine
Method
- Pour the orange juice into a Champagne flute, and let the pulp rise to the top.
- Place a spoon, side down, into the flute and gently pour the Rouge over the spoon. Continue to pour slowly, allowing the effervescence to settle as you pour.
- Garnish with a thin orange twist.
Sparkling Cosmopolitan
This recipe is inspired by Liam’s time bartending in Manhattan in 2000, right at the peak of “Sex and the City” when Cosmos were everywhere. This twist on the classic recipe uses a sparkling Brut Rosé floater on top, which gives the drink a fun effervescent energy, while also bringing the potency of the cocktail down a bit.
Ingredients
2 oz Lemon Vodka 1 oz Cointreau or Triple Sec liquor ½ oz Cranberry juice 1 Squeeze Lime 2 oz Frank Family Brut Rosé
Method
- Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously.
- Strain into a martini glass, leaving room at the top for a 2 oz. pour.
- Pour Frank Family Brut Rosé.
Bellini Martini
This is a more potent cocktail version of the classic Bellini, created by Guiseppe Cipriani at Harry’s Bar in Venice Italy. Liam bartended at Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse in Grand Central Station in NYC, which was just next door to Cipriani’s NYC, where they made Bellini’s with Prosecco. This cocktail takes advantage of our Blanc de Blancs crisp acidity and dry body to counter the sweetness of the peach purée.
Ingredients
2 oz Vodka 1 oz Peach purée 2 oz Frank Family Blanc de Blancs
Method
- Combine vodka and peach purée in a shaker and shake vigorously.
- Strain into a martini glass, leaving room at the top for a 2 oz pour of Frank Family Blanc de Blancs.
Sparkling Strawberry Mojito
Perfect for large garden parties, as the components can be prepped early and the drink can be made in a pitcher for serving many guests. This cocktail has fresh mint, strawberries, rum and sparkling rosé in place of club soda – the ultimate summer sipper.
Ingredients
2 oz White rum 2 to 3 Strawberries, cut into quarters Splash Simple syrup (equal part water and sugar, mixed until sugar dissolves) 4 sprigs Mint 1 oz Frank Family Brut Rosé
Method
- With a wooden muddler or large wooden spoon, mash the strawberries in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, rum and simple syrup, and shake vigorously.
- Add mint and shake briefly again. You don’t want to bruise the mint; the oils in the mint break down if shaken too hard or too long.
- Pour contents of shaker, ice included, into a highball glass, leaving room at the top for a 1 oz float of Frank Family Brut Rosé.
- Garnish with sliced strawberry and a sprig of mint.
French 75
This drink was created in Paris during World War I and was named the French 75 because it was said to hit you like a 75 mm field gun, the gun used by the French military at the time. The herbal nuances from the gin combined with the fresh burst of lemon is an ideal summer pairing, especially with the lift of our crisp Blanc de Blancs.
Ingredients
1 oz Dry gin (or Cognac, if preferred) Squeeze Fresh lemon juice Splash Simple syrup 1 Pour Frank Family Blanc de Blancs
Method
- Combine gin, lemon juice and simple syrup in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously, strain into a classic Champagne flute.
- Top off with a pour of Frank Family Blanc de Blancs.
- Garnish with a lemon twist.
