Anyone can open a bottle of bubbly, but you can show off this New Year’s Eve with these easy, yet super impressive, sparkling wine cocktails.

The key to a great New Year’s Eve bash is the sparkling wine. While we colloquially refer to all bubbly as champagne, the truth of the matter is most of us are not drinking true champagne.

A few definitions

• Champagne – refers to sparkling wine grown, fermented, and bottled in Champagne, France. If you are drinking anything else, it’s best to call it a sparkling wine to be technically correct.
• Prosecco – Prosecco used to be called the poor man’s Champagne; it’s actually a sparkling wine from Italy.
• Cava – Cava is delicious sparkling wine from Spain.

While you will find other sparkling wines in any good liquor store, these are the three main region specific sparkling wines. Everything else in the package store will be called sparkling wine. Just as if you were drinking it on its own, it does matter what kind of sparkling wine you use for cocktails. The best bet is to go to a good wine store and tell the staff what your plans are. They will be able to tell you what will taste best in your price range.

Now that you understand the basics, here are the cocktails.

7 Sparkling Wine Cocktails

1. French 75 – Made with gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and Brut Champagne, this cocktail can be served in either a Collins glass or a Champagne flute/coupe. It has a little bit of a kick.
2. Black Velvet – This dramatic looking cocktail is made with stout (usually Guinness) and sparkling wine. Fill a glass halfway with wine and top off with the stout.
3. Kir Royale – A deliciously sweet concoction made with sparkling wine topped with crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur).
4. St. Germaine Spritzer – St. Germaine is a subtle elderflower liqueur. It pairs well with sparkling wine, club soda, and a lemon twist in this recipe for a lighter cocktail.
5. Prosecco Sangria – We love the idea of making a New Year’s Eve Sangria for guests. This recipe calls for the addition of stone fruits and peach brandy, but you could vary the fruits and brandy depending on your tastes. Champagne Cocktail
6. Chambord and Champagne – For a twist on the Kir Royale, try adding Chambord instead. Chambord is a sweet black raspberry liqueur.
7. Sparkling Margarita – Mix up a pitcher of these sparkling wine margaritas from chef Rick Bayless for a real party on New Year’s.

Related on EcoSalon

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15 Sparkling Drinks That Aren’t Champagne

Image: Good Cheer via Shutterstock

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Indulge in the sweet luxury of sparkling wine while celebrating with one of these eco-conscious producers. It takes a lot of water to grow grapes, a lot. In fact, the wine industry has been harshly criticized for its negative environmental impact. Finally, some producers are working to offset their impact by switching to eco-conscious packaging and growing organic grapes.

Wines come from all over the world. France has historically been the gold standard but New World regions like South Africa and Argentina are gaining cult followings. Americans are drinking more wine than ever because wine is now more accessible. More consumption has lead to a call for re-evaluating the ways in which wine is produced. Many wineries, like the 11 examples below, are switching to organic grapes, recycled oak barrels and eco-conscious packaging.

There are many different classifications such as organic, GMO free, and biodynamic, each label governed by a single organization that sets the standards. Opinions differ as to which method is the best, but here is a list of 11 wonderful sparkling wines produced by wineries that are conscious of their impact on this earth.

1. Veuve Clicquot Naturally Clicquot Brut Yellow Label (pictured top)

The champagne masters at Veuve Clicquot redesigned their packaging last year so that it’s eco friendly. The new project, called Naturally Clicquot features biodegradable packaging on their classic orange-labeled bottles.

2. Pommery Brut Royal

Pommery is a well-respected Champagne producer and their commitment to environmentally friendly bottles garnered a lot of attention.

3. Domaine Carneros Brut  

Domaine Carneros was the first sparkling winery to be certified by California Certified Organic Farmers in 2008. Domaine Carneros also boast the largest photovoltaic solar array of any winery in the world.

4. Fleury Pere & Fils Champagne Brut Rose De Saignee

Founded in 1895, Fleury was the first Champagne producers to use biodynamics.

5. Sedlescombe 2010 Rosé Brut

The only British producer on our list, Sedlescombe are committed to producing organic wine and their sparkling wine has received critical acclaim.

6. Korbel Organic Brut

The most popular and widely available organic champagne in the US is definitely this delightful champagne from Korbel.

7. Perlage Prosecco Soraloc 

Perlage is especially commited to biodynamic and organic wines. Their various Prosecco wines have won countless awards and Soraloc is the first organic Prosecco DOC with the screw cap.

8.  Champagne Larmandier-Bernier Rose de Saignee Premier Cru Brut 

Larmandier are committed to preserving the soil. From their site: “Consequently, our vines are cultivated with respect for the terroir (ploughing, which favours deep-reaching roots and preserves the life of the soil) and respect for the balances of the plant throughout the growing period. In this way, the yields are naturally moderate and the wine shows its appreciation, through both its structure and its maturity.”

9. Crémant d’Alsace, Albert Mann

A crémant is the name for a sparkling wine made in the traditional Champagne method outside of the region of Champagne in France. The Mann winery produces one of the best. Dry and citrus-driven, with yellow plum fruit, it does best with a light chill. Organic.

10. “Prosa” Frizzante Rosé, Meinklang – 2013

The color is so alluring on this sparkling rose! Biodynamic and organic from Austria. A note from the producer: the Michlits family of the Meinklang farm live and exist within a complete agricultural and viticultural project. Meinklang is a unique entity; for more than 20 years, when Anneliese and Werner took over their family farm, they have sought a close coexistence with nature. After ten years of organic cultivation, they have come to embrace biodynamic principles of diversity as completely as one can. The pride of the farm is a herd of Angus cattle, which provides fertilizer and as well source of income.

11. Galetto Sparkling Rosé, Colli della Murgia

A pretty sparkling wine with a copper hue that will work well as an apéritif wine or as the wine for dinner. This Italian producer is certified organic and this sparkling rose is not hard to find.

Most of these wines are availalbe online and many in stores around the US. If you want to make it easy on yourself, sign up for the Eco Vine wine club and have organic wines delivered to your door.

Related on Eco Salon

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Organic Red Wine Taste Test 

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Celebratory sparkling drinks that aren’t champagne. Toast!

I live by the policy that everything is better with bubbles, be it champagne, prosecco or muddled blackberries and sparkling water. There’s something about a fizzy drink that’s festive. But you don’t have to have a standard bottle of bubbly on hand to celebrate. Here are 15 sparkling drinks that are champagne alternatives for celebratory drinks, putting a spin on the classic flute. Some are healthy, some are non-alcoholic, some are a bit more upscale, all are delicious.

1. Crémant

To be labeled Champagne, the grapes have to come from the Champagne region in France, but here’s the thing: there are plenty of sparkling wines that are equally, if not more tastier. Crémants are a wonderful alternative, and come from classic French wine regions like Alsace, Loire, Burgundy and Bordeaux.

2. Homemade ginger ale

Sounds more complicated than it is; all you need to do to make ginger ale is brew up a ginger simple syrup, add some fizzy water and you have a glorious sparkling drink. Easy. And if you’re feeling like you want more of a cocktail, add a little bourbon.

3. Cava

The Spanish sparkly is a perfect addition to a good round of tapas. You can also mix it with pomegranate for a great cocktail.

4. Gueuze 

Want the champagne of the beer world? Track down a Belgian style gueuze, a tart and naturally effervescent drink that’s part of the lambic family. Also referred to as a sour beer, the taste isn’t for everyone, but if you’re in the mood for a bubbly Belgian brew, you can also go for one of the sweeter, fruitier lambics like framboise.

5. Prosecco

The Italian bubbly is another classic sparkling drink that’s a perfect champagne alternative, produced in the hills of Treviso. It’s the main ingredient of the classic Bellini, and if you’re looking to go full on European with your drink, use to to make an Aperol Spritz.

6. Lemonade

All you have to do to lemonade to step it up a notch is add some sparkling water. Instant party hit, with or without alcohol added. Try this Honey, Ginger Sparkling Lemonade recipe.

7. Cider

Hard cider hasn’t always had its roll in American drinking culture as it has in places like England, but a good, chilled cider is perfect for celebrating and can often be found in non-alcoholic varieties. The other benefit? It’s gluten free.

8. Kombucha

It might sound a little on the health freak side, but a cocktail made with kombucha is not only bubbly, but also delicious. Brew your own batch and then mix away; you can make everything from a Kombucha Cosmopolitan to The Petticoat, made with St. Germain, the French elderflower liqueur.

9. Fizzy Blood Orange Drinks 

The juice of a blood orange has just the extra bit of zest to it that makes it a cocktail favorite, and it loves being served with a carbonated component. Try it with vodka and rosemary for a Bloody Rose, the more sophisticated older sister to Mary.

10. Grapefruit Mojito

This recipe for a grapefruit mojito is a non-alcholic take on the classic cocktail. Need a little bubble? Just add sparkling water.

11. Sparkling Fruit Cordials

Making your own fruit cordials is as simple as boiling water, fruit and sugar together; it’s an excellent way to put an overabundance of summer fruit picking to good use. Raspberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, cherry, elderflower – the options are endless. The concentrated liquid is then diluted with water, or sparkling water if you’re going for a bubbly drink. Concoct a batch of cordial, pour a little into a glass, top off with sparkling water and a few ice cubes, add a twist of lemon and you’re finished.

12. Sparkling Tea

Sparkling tea (iced, not hot) is easy to make yourself and allows you to significantly cut down on the sugar in a more standard sweet drink. Try a Sparkling Tea Lemonade with green or a fruit black tea or make one with lemon, cucumber and mint.

13. Mead

Made from honey, mead is most often associated with the Vikings, has been around since before beer and wine, and nowadays is popular with the homebrewing crowd. It can be flavored with various fruits and spices which allows you to get creative with taste combinations. All you need are a few supplies like a gallon glass jar and yeast and you are off and running. Want the full rundown? Check out this step-by-step mead guide.

14. Homemade Wine

Don’t let the people at the vineyards have all the fun; if you have fruit then you can make your own wine, and is there any better champagne alternative than a drink you made yourself? Not only good for drinking, you can also add them to sauces, vinaigrettes and beyond. They take awhile to make, and it won’t be a top notch Burgundy, but at least it will be homemade and slightly exotic when you serve it.

15. Fermented Fruit Juices

Instead of just adding sparkling water to juices, ferment them to create natural bubbles. Let watermelon sit with yeast overnight and you can make a delightful Watermelon-Mint Soda or try your hand at a different version of the Russian beverage kvass, made with your pick of organic fruits and berries.

Related on EcoSalon:

10 Drinks to Power Your Libido

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Image: Susanna Fernandez, Roberto Cacho Toca, Madzik

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More than just mimosas.

Mother’s Day is the day to celebrate not only your mother, but any maternal figure in your life. And what better way to celebrate than with food and drink? If your Mother’s Day celebration involves a brunch – and it should – add a few of these creative cocktails to the menu and toast the women that make a difference.

1. Kir Royale

This one is simple and classic, just mix 1 part creme de cassis with 5 parts champagne. Score a bottle of organic champagne and make it an eco-friendly drink while you’re at it. Although the drink is classically made with creme de cassis, you can also try it with any type of berry liqueur or cordial. Or if you really want a homemade drink, muddle some berries and mix.

2. Mimosa

1 Wild Hibiscus Flower

1 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

1 oz Pink Grapefruit Juice

1/2 oz Wild Hibiscus Syrup

5 oz Dry Sparkling Wine

Place flower in champagne flute.  Shake next 3 ingredients on ice and carefully strain into champagne flute. Top with dry sparkling wine.  Garnish with long grapefruit zest.

3. Blood Peach Bellini

A twist on the regular bellini involves adding a splash of grenadine. A colorful and tasty drink.

4. Honey Ginger Lemonade Spritzer

This recipe works well on its own, or with a dash of bourbon or vodka. Get creative or keep it simple and serve as a non-alcoholic beverage.

5. Blackberry Herb Cocktail

Prosecco, blackberries and rosemary; what’s not to love? Revamp this recipe by making your own rosemary simple syrup.

6. Cardamom Rose Cocktail

Cardamom in a drink? You simply can’t go wrong. DesignSponge has a recipe for a cardamom cocktail that involves rose syrup and grapefruit juice and is sure to please mother dearest.

7. Lillet Basil Cocktail

Put some greenery in your mother’s drink with this recipe that you can make with fresh basil from the market or your garden.

8. French 75

A French 75 is a classic drink that can replace a mimosa at a brunch. It’s a little stiffer, but very delicious.

9. Elderflower and Lemon Sparkling Sipper

The combination of elderflower and lemon make for an elegant drink that’s full of bubbles.

Images: Joe Shlabotnick, toolmantim, Wild Hibiscus Flower Co., Anna Brones, Apothecary/DesignSponge,

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Would champagne by any other name taste as sweet? Or toasty, citrusy, maybe nutty with notes of baked honey, caramel and coffee? Maybe. But the world likes to think not. “Champagne” (like Bordeaux, and Camembert cheese) is protected. In most countries it is illegal to label anything but wines hailing from the official winemaking region or “appellation” of Champagne as champagne.

The governing bodies in charge of protecting the wine include: the INAO institute, which administers the appéllation d’origine contrôlée (A.O.C.) law, the Comité Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne (C.I.V.C.) which makes rules about viticulture, cultivation of grapes and production of champagne, along with plain old customs officials.

But they can’t stop recessionista party hosts, or fraudulent bar managers from pouring imitation bubbly to reap savings or profits this New Year’s Eve.

This week, the blogosphere has been abuzz about food and drink fraud. And not just because it’s time to pop the cork. Twelfth grade science students at Trinity School in Manhattan, Brenda Tan and Matt Cost, DNA tested everything from tilapia to tuna. Their informal study found 11 of 66 food products around their homes were not made of what the labels claimed.

Two examples: a package claiming “yellow catfish” was actually comprised of the invasive species, walking catfish; and a piece of sheep’s milk cheese was in fact from cow’s milk.

DNA testing could be used by food safety inspectors and police to thwart food fraud. But it’s not just about the money.

Fraudulent labeling also covers up the continued slaughter of endangered species, both plants and animals, that have protected status. And mislabeled foods can cause allergic reactions, even death to people or pets.

Read up on recent food labeling scandals, and use the resources below to understand what’s going into your favorite snack, meal or on the menu.

Basic Reading:

The U.S. Food And Drug Administration’s “backgrounder” on food labeling and nutrition for consumers and industry professionals

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service site, including a database of plants and animals on the endangered species list

“Whether you want to know where your beef’s been for philosophical or health reasons, this web-based tool [from The Green Guide] will give you some insight. For instance, if the package bears a stamp reading “˜USDA Organic,’ you know the cow was fed only 100% organic grass, grain and corn… [or] if your steak comes from a cow that may have been given growth hormones, or your burger contains the remnants of antibiotics given to an ill animal.”- Lifehacker

“For far too long, some of the world’s biggest food manufacturers have designed their labels either to exaggerate the amount of healthy ingredients, or to imply that the food has magical, drug-like qualities that could prevent or treat various health problems,” said Center for Science in the Public Interest legal affairs director Bruce Silverglade. – A Dec. 2009 advocates’ report on false, if legal, food labeling

“Following several cork-popping years of record-breaking shipments (and some might say price gouging) to the U.S., the Champagne Bureau is reporting a slump. It’s hangover time. US sales of imported bubbly have gone flat in 2009 dropping 41.2% from January to August… There are currently more than 1 billion bottles all dressed up with nowhere to go, sitting in warehouses all over the Champagne region of France.” – A Walletpop guide to affordable, authentic champagne

Further Resources:

The official home page of the eco-gastronomic non-profit Slow Food Interational

The official home page of the U.K.’s Food Standards Agency including many news items on food labeling and nutrition

The official home page of the California Certified Organic Farmers

The New Yorker’s Dec. 2009 profile of Whole Foods founder and food activist, John Mackey

A Fooducate blog post criticizing Nestle and the F.D.A.

This is the 9th installment of EcoMeme, a column featuring eco news, tech and business highlights by Lora Kolodny.

Image: nlmAdestiny

The post EcoMeme: It’s What’s Inside That Counts (Especially With Food & Drink) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Be the host with the most eco savoir faire. Follow our lead and pair organic bubbly with born-again vessels for celebrating the spirit of reusing and recycling. Your green guests will drink to that! Of course, mine will drink to anything.

Cheers to Monaco Champagne Flutes made from the top halves of recycled glass wine bottles. In a stunning cobalt blue, they’re $53 from Green with Glamour. Pair with yummy Domaine Carneros Brut, organic since 2005. Although Brut refers to the dryness of the wine, Brut-style sparkling wine and champagne is also traditionally a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir.

Seeing the world through rosé colored glasses is possible when you pour the 100% biodynamically farmed Fleury Brut Rose, $49, into clear, elegant flutes. The wine is French but the pair of flutes was harvested at a local thrift shop and sandblasted with a koi design by Bread and Badger from Etsy.

Get a groove on with this swirled pair of Swirled Recycled Flutes, $59 from At West End. Fill ’em up for friends with the steal of the season, Makulu Moscato, grown with an emphasis on sustainability in the Paarl Ward region of Wellington at the foot of the Hawekwa mountain range in the Western Cape of South Africa. A great deal for $6 at Ingersoll.

Multi-Color Specks Champagne Flutes, set of six $65 from Bellacor, are made through NOVICA, in association with National Geographic, which gives artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents. The blown glass, skillfully painted by Javier and Efren of Mexico, tickles the senses when  holding Blanquette de Limoux Brut, $20 from the Organic Wine Company, a dry, creamy, full-bodied sparkling wine from certified organic grapes.

Main Image: Cowbite

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