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24 brilliant sparkling cocktails to try this New Year's Eve
Fizzy cocktails to make all year
By Jane Curran · December 31, 2022
Lovely bubbly
Is there a better way to celebrate a special occasion – or just the end of another week – than by opening a bottle of fizz? These fabulous and wonderfully simple cocktail ideas will make your celebrations truly sparkle. You don't need to buy expensive Champagne either. Prosecco, Cava or any other sparkling wine will do the job just fine, and the recipes with more ingredients are perfect for dressing up any bottles you're not so keen on. Here's how to make bubbles taste even better.
Aperol spritz
Aperol is a bright orange aperitif, with slightly bitter notes of oranges and herbs. It's a refreshing party drink and no cocktail shaker is required here. Fill a large glass with ice, then add three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol and one part soda water. A slice of orange is a lovely garnish.Buck's fizz
Named after London's Buck's Club in 1921, the cocktail was apparently invented by a barman as an excuse to begin drinking early. It's made by mixing two parts Champagne to one part fresh orange juice.Rosemary and pomegranate fizz
Pomegranate juice infused with rosemary is mixed with bubbly to make this fruity cocktail. Our recipe uses alcohol-free fizz, but just replace it with sparkling wine if you're drinking the real deal.
Get the recipe for rosemary and pomegranate fizz here
Champagne margarita
Margaritas are fun anyway, but add fizz for something extra. In a cocktail shaker with ice, add 125 ml (4fl oz) fresh lime juice, 250 ml (9fl oz) tequila and 125 ml triple sec or Cointreau. Shake well. Rub a lime wedge around the edge of your cocktail glasses and dip in salt. Fill half the glass with the margarita mix, then top up with sparkling wine.Black velvet
The black velvet was created by the bartender of Brooks's Club in London, England in 1861, to mourn the death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's Prince Consort. The color was supposed to represent the black armbands worn by mourners. It is simply stout (usually Guinness) mixed with equal quantities of Champagne, but sparkling wine will work well too.Orange mimosa
Similar to a buck's fizz, a mimosa is made with equal quantities of chilled fresh orange juice and sparkling wine. Garnish with a small wedge of fresh orange.Sgroppino
A sgroppino originates from the Veneto region of Italy. It's halfway between a cocktail and a dessert, so it would be perfect to serve at the end of a special dinner. It's very simple – put four scoops of lemon sorbet into a blender, then add 125 ml (4fl oz) very cold vodka and 250 ml (9fl oz) cold prosecco, and whiz. Pour into four chilled Champagne flutes and garnish with a sprig of mint and a slice of fresh lime.
Blackberry and lime sparkler
This long drink is incredibly refreshing with a lovely tang of lime. To serve four, mix 125 ml (4fl oz) chilled vodka with the juice of two limes. Divide between glasses, then top up with sparkling wine. Add a sprig of rosemary and a few blackberries as a garnish.
If you're entertaining soon, check out our guide with drinks, canapé and dinner party recipes
Limoncello fizz
You'll need super-chilled limoncello for this cocktail. Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur which is vodka-based and really tangy. Fill a third of your glass with limoncello, then top up with prosecco.Hugo
The hugo cocktail comes from Northern Italy. It's traditionally made with melissa, or lemon balm syrup, but this is hard to find so you can replace it with elderflower. For two drinks, muddle a few sprigs of mint to draw out the flavor. Divide between two glasses, add 1 tbsp elderflower syrup and slices of fresh lime to each, top up with prosecco and add ice. It makes for a light and refreshing drink.Martini royale
Dry vermouth topped up with prosecco and lime – the martini royale can't fail to be a crowd-pleaser. You'll need a large wine glass for this one. Squeeze the juice from half a lime into the glass. Fill the glass to a third with dry vermouth, add lots of ice and slices of fresh lime. Then top up with prosecco and add a sprig of mint.Classic Champagne cocktail
Said to date back to the mid-1800s, this is reportedly one of the oldest cocktails, but it's still a winner every time. Chill your glasses – it was always served in a saucer or coupe Champagne glass – then put a sugar cube saturated with Angostura bitters in the base. Add 1 tbsp Cognac, then top up with Champagne or any dry sparkling wine.Kir royale
This is another classic cocktail, made with crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) and Champagne. Again, any dry sparkling wine will do the job. You don't want it to be too sweet so just add 2 tsp to the base of your Champagne flutes, then top up with fizz. Crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur) is another really lovely option, as is raspberry liqueur such as Chambord.Bellini
This classic was invented by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry's Bar in Venice. Made with fresh white peach purée, it was always a tricky one to make in winter. But now you can easily find peach purée in pouches and enjoy this fab cocktail all year round. You can also use any ripe peach or peach nectar. It consists of one part peach purée to two parts prosecco.Apple mimosa
You can use apple juice for this cocktail, but it has more wow factor if you use dry apple cider. Fill a flute to a third full with cider or juice, then top up with sparkling wine. You could also dip your flutes in water, then into a mixture of ground cinnamon and sugar (twice the amount of sugar to cinnamon). Serve with a slice of apple dipped in lemon juice.Raspberry sorbet float
A fun cocktail-meets-dessert to serve after dinner, raspberry sorbet floats are short and sweet, and will put a spring in your step. Put 1-2 tsp raspberry liqueur into a glass, add a scoop of raspberry sorbet then top with sparkling wine and a sprig of mint. If you have fresh (or frozen and defrosted) raspberries, add a few to serve.Watermelon spritz
You'll need fresh watermelon juice for this refreshing cocktail, which is just ripe fruit whizzed in a blender then passed through a sieve. For a bottle of fizz, you'll need around half a medium watermelon. Add the juice of three limes to the watermelon juice. Fill each glass halfway with fizz, then slowly top up with the watermelon and lime juice, and add a slice of fresh lime.Blue tulip
Inject a shot of bright color into your drinks. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, mix 125 ml (4fl oz) each of vodka and blue curaçao (a citrussy liqueur) with the juice of a lemon. Shake well. Put around 2 tbsp into your glasses, then top up with sparkling wine. This will make around eight glasses, depending on your glass size.Gin and elderflower spritz
A dash of gin with elderflower cordial, topped up with fizz, is a winning mixture. In a large wine glass, add 2 tbsp gin, 2 tsp elderflower cordial, a squeeze of lime and plenty of ice. Then simply top up with dry sparkling wine. We'll warn you – it's a little addictive!
Take a look at these simple appetizers to go with your drinks
Rose spritz
You can bring a taste of summer to your winter celebrations with this delicious sun-inspired cocktail. Just pour prosecco and rose lemonade over a generous amount of ice and stir well. Finish with plenty of strawberries for a light and delightful drink.
Campari spritz
Similar to an Aperol spritz, but with more bitter notes, a Campari spritz is really easy. Fill a third of your glass with Campari and ice, add the same quantity of prosecco then top up with soda water. Add a slice of orange and a sprig of rosemary.
Tintoretto
A tintoretto cocktail is a twist on a bellini. Instead of the peach, add one part pomegranate juice to two parts prosecco and for a final flourish, add a sprig of mint and fresh pomegranate seeds.Pink fizz
Mix equal quantities of chilled rosé wine and sparkling wine together then pour into tumblers or flutes. Add a slice of orange and raspberries and a few sprigs of mint for garnish, if you have some.French 75
The French 75 packs a real punch. It's named after the French 75 field gun, commonly used in the First World War, and is a combination of gin, lemon and Champagne. You'll need a little sugar syrup too, which is equal quantities of sugar dissolved in water, then chilled. For two servings, add 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp sugar syrup and 100 ml (4fl oz) gin into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well then strain into two glasses. Slowly top up with the fizz and garnish with a strip of lemon zest.