The Grape

3 Ways to Drink Champagne

Read Time 4 Minutes

Posted 13 Oct 2022

By Vintage Cellars

Pop a cork and pour yourself a glass of champagne or sparkling wine as we serve up three ways for making the most of your fizz.

Did you know Australians are in the world’s top 10 champagne drinkers per capita? We love a celebration and what better way to mark an important milestone, exciting news or festive occasion than with a glass of bubbly wine.

Whether you’re a French champagne aficionado, an Italian prosecco devotee or a fan of Australian sparkling wine, there are loads of delicious options to fill your flute – and plenty of refreshing ways to enjoy them. Here are three ideas for making the most of your bubbly.

Indulge in a premium champagne

What’s the best way to drink Champagne? For true lovers of fizz, it’s to simply pop, pour and appreciate the wine’s natural perfection.

A premium French Champagne, made in the traditional method in the Champagne region of France, is the perfect indulgence for a special occasion or important celebration.

To make the most of your Champagne bottle, serve in a tulip wine glass, which has a slightly wider bowl than a flute, to allow the sparkling wine bubbles and aromas to develop.

Pop open… A top-shelf Champagne, such as Frerejean Frères NV Brut Premier Cru, which is aged for five years to create a complex flavour profile of apples, pears, honey and brioche. Mumm Cordon Rouge NV is also an excellent choice with its fine bubbles and delicate stone fruit flavours. Or, charge your glasses with Pommery Brut Royal and enjoy its fresh and lively aromas with its equal blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier.

Love indulging in pinots or chardonnays? Then try Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve. This Champagne revels in the art of blending the two wines, drawing our flavours of dark chocolate, cinnamon and roasted yellow figs. It has melt-in-your-mouth status.

Australian sparkling wines are also revered: Try the Pirie Tasmania Sparkling NV, which is crisp and minerally with a citrus zing and a creamy mouthfeel.

If you’re after something new: Petaluma Second Blooming Pet Nat should be your go-to. Naturally fermented, this aromatic pet nat is crafted from chardonnay with a hint of blush from pinot noir. Vegan and perfectly refreshing, it’s new to the sparkling scene and has minimal preservatives.

Try an easy Champagne cocktail

Dial up your Champagne experience by making a classic Champagne Cocktail.

This simple drink was created in the 1850s and is still adored today. To make it, add a few drops of Angostura bitters to a sugar cube, drop it into a flute and top with Champagne. The sugar keeps the Champagne bubbling for longer and gradually sweetens the drink as it dissolves. You can even add a dash of cognac for a seriously luxurious cocktail.

Sparkling wine is also great in light, summery cocktails such as an Aperol spritz or sgroppino, a delicious Italian drink made with lemon sorbet, vodka and prosecco.

Pop open… A Champagne, such as Piper-Heidsieck NV Cuvée Brut with its apple, citrus and toasty flavours, or the delicate and floral Perrier-Jouët Blanc de Blancs. The pink-tinged and fruity Bird In Hand Sparkling Pinot Noir will also make an elegant sparkling wine cocktail. Mixing up a sgroppino or spritz? Go with an affordable sparkling like the bright and lively Revino Prosecco.

For a sweet cocktail with a zesty twist, give our quick cocktail a go.

3-ingredient Champagne cocktail

Serves 6 Prep 5 mins

6 white sugar cubes

Aromatic bitters, to serve

750ml btl Piper-Heidsieck NV Cuvée Brut

Orange zest, to serve (optional)

1 Divide the sugar cubes among 6 Champagne flutes. Add about 10 drops of bitters into each flute.

2 Pour over the Champagne. Finish with a twist of orange zest, if using.

Mix up a mimosa

Champagne and orange juice is a classic pairing for a reason: the bright, zingy freshness of OJ really works with the dry citrus notes of sparkling wine and Champagne.

If you’re hosting a brunch, this easy mixer is a crowd-pleaser. Simply combine one part orange juice to two parts Champagne or sparkling wine and your mimosa is done.

The bellini (a mix of peach puree and prosecco) is another riff on this classic cocktail and makes a delicious pre-dinner aperitif when stone fruit is at its peak in summer. Serve with a sprig of fresh mint.

Pop open… A well-balanced sparkling wine like Redbank Emily Brut Cuvée NV or Ninth Island Tasmania Sparkling will make a mimosa everyone will enjoy. For a bellini, try the fresh flavours of Handpicked Organic Prosecco NV.