Champagne Cocktail Recipes & The Bubble Test

Pomegranate Holiday Champagne Cocktail
1/3 Pomegranate Juice
2/3 Champagne
*Concoction will mix itself

Tropical Mimosa
1/3 Passionfruit Juice
2/3 Champagne
*May require a little mixing on your part.
*Passionfruit juice can be found at a BevMo
*You can also use Kern’s Guava juice from the corner store in a pinch!

The Bubble Test: One of the ways I like to measure the true value of a glass of Champagne is by the bubbles. There are 2 areas to look at when evaluating the bubbles from a glass of Champagne.

1) Size – Pinpoint bubbles are preferred. 

2) Volume – The greater the bubble quantity, the better.

In regards to size, the goal is to have tiny pinpoints that burst into an array of fizzy fireworks that you than can inhale as an aromatic aid to your tasting experience.

Volume is directly related to the old phrase, the more the merrier. This is true in the case of people at a party as well as champagne bubbles. And now for the scientific breakdown of why:

According to Karen MacNeil, wine author and educator, “Bubble size is affected both by the length of time a Champagne ages (the longer the smaller) and by the temperature of the aging cellar (the cooler the smaller)…..”

MacNeil also mentioned that the quantity of bubbles depends on the amount of proteins in the grape varietal used, with Chardonnay grapes having more protein than Pinot Noir. To be honest, I am not sure that actually means that more is better, but I am gonna stick with that, since I believe it to be true (who doesn’t want more bubbles in their glass this New Year?).

What if Your Champagne Doesn’t Pass the Bubble Test?

On a similar note, if your champagne does not pass your own bubble test, do not fear! My recommendation is to forget about being a purist and add some of your own zing to that glass. As a result, here are 2 recipes that I have described in more detail in this video segment.  Cheers!

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