Julis and I planned to make five cocktails using sparkling wines. Four already had their own recipes and names, while the fifth, a Georgian cocktail, was still awaiting a name. Before that, we had to choose its ingredients. I knew exactly what I wanted it to be like: full-bodied, with a distinct character, elegant flavours and a delicate finish. I hoped it would have a Georgian character, as this is how I see Georgian women. Hence, the idea for the summer cocktail, Georgian Summer Girl, was born, and I am delighted to share its recipe with you.
Recipe:
- 3.5 cl cognac
- 1 cl verjus
- 1.5 cl raspberry liqueur
- 3 drops Peychaud’s bitters
- 3 drops Angostura bitters
- Fill the glass with ice
- Top up with Georgian dry rosé sparkling wine
- Garnish with orange peel or fresh raspberries.
The character of Georgian Summer Girl comes from the cognac. It gives the cocktail body and depth, and the more aged the cognac, the softer and longer the finish. Verjus adds a pleasant freshness, while the raspberry liqueur brings out delicate fruit aromas. Peychaud’s and Angostura bitters balance all these flavours, bringing the cocktail together.
New Horizons: When Georgian Sparkling Wine Meets Global Mixology
When it comes to using sparkling wines in cocktails, Champagne and Prosecco are often the first to come to mind.
Yet the modern world of mixology is constantly searching for new possibilities and looking towards new horizons. This is where Georgian sparkling wines can find their place, with their intriguing character, structure, and versatility making them worthy competitors to traditional European alternatives. Integrating Georgian sparkling wines into classic recipes opens up a new, unexplored space of flavour and shows that drinks made from grapes grown in our country can make their own mark in modern bar culture.
Cocktail, Aesthetics and Craft in a Glass
Nothing complements the lively atmosphere of big-city bars, hot summer days on sandy beaches or parties on verandas quite like the rhythmic sound of a bartender’s shaker and the taste of colourful cocktails crafted from it.
A cocktail is more than just a drink; it is also a form of aesthetics and craftsmanship. The ingredients that come together in each glass create entirely new flavour experiences that can transport you to far-off places. Alongside spirits, sparkling wines are also widely used in cocktails, with Prosecco and Champagne among the leading choices. Prosecco is featured in classics such as Hugo, Aperol Spritz and Bellini, while Champagne is used in French 75 and Kir Royale.
Each drop of the colourful liquids contained in the dozens of bottles lined up on bar shelves plays an important role in creating a delicious cocktail. There is a certain precision to this work, much like the work of a doctor. Interestingly, in 1824, German military doctor Johan Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert created an alcoholic tincture, a bitter called Angostura, to treat his patients. It later became an essential ingredient in cocktails. Cocktail bitters contain 40% alcohol and, because of their intensity, bartenders use only a few drops at a time. It is an infusion of aromatic herbs, spices, and fruit in high-proof alcohol, with producers guarding their recipes as carefully as Champagne houses guard their blending secrets.
Just as the right silhouette brings out the shape and character of a dress, the right glass enhances the overall aesthetic of a cocktail. The Martini glass, for example, is considered one of the best-known and most enduring cocktail glasses. Its popularity may also be partly due to the American black-and-white detective film The Thin Man, in which the main characters, Nick and Nora, drink Martinis.
The main aim of this article is to introduce the magazine’s readers to five different kinds of cocktails made with sparkling wines, which I created together with mixologist Julis Koch at one of Hamburg’s well-known cocktail bars, Nick and Nora. I selected five sparkling wines, each with a distinct flavour profile, to show how each influences the cocktail's final character.
Five Favourite Sparkling Cocktails
French 75 with Champagne
Ingredients: Champagne, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sugar syrup, gin and orange bitters, garnished with lemon zest.
Character: Light and elegant. The gin adds botanical aromas, the lemon juice brings lively acidity, while the sugar syrup balances the flavours. The result is a lively, harmonious cocktail with a long and pleasant finish.
Negroni Sbagliato with Prosecco
Ingredients: Prosecco, Campari, and red vermouth, garnished with orange zest.
Character: Prosecco gives the cocktail a pleasant lightness, Campari brings its characteristic bitter citrus character, while red vermouth adds depth and herbal aromas. The orange zest completes the overall composition.
Old Cuban with German Sekt
Ingredients: German Sekt, aged rum, freshly squeezed lime juice, sugar syrup, Angostura bitters, and fresh mint.
Character: This cocktail is an interesting combination of a classic mojito and a champagne cocktail. The rum brings soft, warm notes of caramel and vanilla, while the lime and mint add refreshing acidity and aroma. The Sekt gives the cocktail a lighter overall structure.
Pornstar Martini with Cava
Ingredients: Cava, passion fruit purée/liqueur, vanilla syrup and lemon juice.
Character: One of the world’s most popular cocktails, it is known for its unforgettable tropical character. The distinctive flavour of passion fruit, the sweetness of vanilla, and the elegant structure of cava come together beautifully. Each sip evokes palm-fringed shores, warm sand, cloudless skies, and crystal-clear blue water.
Georgian Summer Girl with Georgian dry rosé sparkling wine
Character: Our own signature cocktail and a good example of how naturally Georgian wine can fit into modern mixology trends. Be sure to try it and fall in love with this new taste of summer!
