An easy to create Cocktail that requires Sparkling Wine and a sweet almost eggnog-like spirit, Warninks Advocaat, so let’s build our snowball…

The Sparkling Wine

The vineyards of Casa Gheller are located in the Trevisan hills in the classic Valdobbiadene DOC area, which is well known for the production of Prosecco.

Casa Gheller – Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry – Tasting Notes

Aroma “Ripe yellow fruits honeysuckle and yellow floral aromas.”

Flavour “Sweet ripe yellow fruits, yellow floral, apricot, peaches and honeysuckle on the palate.”

This Prosecco Won a Bronze Medal in the Summer Days Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021

The Cocktail

Ingredients

• Sparkling Wine
• Warninks Advocaat 
• Lemon Juice
• Sugar

How To Make The Christmas Snowball Cocktail 

1. Run a Lemon around the rim of your glass.
2. Dip it into Sugar.
3. Pour in 50mls of Advocaat.
4. Top up with Sparkling Wine.

Tasting Notes – “A dessert in a glass, creamy eggnog, marzipan and honey.”

Sparkling Wine – Weingut Steininger

Located in their beautiful hometown of Langenlois in Austria, surrounded by the Kamptal Valley, Weingut Steininger believes it offers the best conditions for their typical wines and sparkling wines, and they’ve found the perfect combination between tradition and modern cellar technology, without ever compromising on quality.

Weingut Steininger – Grüner Veltliner Reserve Sekt 2018 – Tasting Notes

Aroma “Garden herbs, freshly cut grass and floral notes on the aroma.”

Flavour “A soft, creamy like texture, displaying green garden herbs, nettles and freshly cut grass on the palate.”

This Austrian Sparkling Wine Won a Silver Medal in the Herbal Gardens Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021.

Whisky – Compass Box

Compass Box was founded by John Glaser, while working at a large UK distiller in 2000, he came to the conclusion that there was so much that hadn’t yet been explored in the world of Scotch Whisky. He started Compass Box in his kitchen, where it grew over the years and now he has two dedicated Blending Rooms in London.

You can also find on their website a collection of videos of the Founder & Whiskymaker John Glaser, where he explores surprising truths and misconceptions about Scotch whisky, teaching you a few things about Whisky and the way to enjoy it, it’s called the Whisky School.

Tasting Notes – “Rich Whisky aromas with hints of freshly squeezed apple Juice. A classic whisky taste, with fine hints of green apples, green pears and lemon, gently progressing in the whisky.”

The Navigation Cocktail

Ingredients

• Sparkling Wine
• Whisky
• Lemon
• Apple
• Mint

How To Make The Navigation Fizz Cocktail

1. Pour in 15mls of your Whisky
2. Add 100mls of your Steininger Sparkling Wine
3. Drop-in a Lemon Twist, a few slices of Apple and a Mint Leaf

Tasting Notes

Aroma “Fresh lemon, mint and green apple, with delightful hints of the whisky in the background on the aroma.”

Flavour “A fizzy burst of bakery minty flavours, just like a freshly baked green apple and mint cream pastry, with subtle hints of lemon, the whisky takes shape and adds warmth to your mouth, while delivering freshly squeezed green apple juice to the close.”

How much do you know about your local supermarket? Here’s a little bit about Aldi you might not have known: Aldi was founded in 1946 in the city of Essen in Germany, it was created by two brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht, as of today there are now over 11,000 stores spread across 20 different countries. Aldi are going to invest over £1.3 billion by 2023 with the goal to open 100 new stores by 2023. Over 900 of their stores are in the UK.

Most of us love a good drink over the holiday’s, whether it be some bubbly, gin, rum, whiskey, or eggnog, but what about some cocktails, with it being the Christmas season, now is the perfect time to create some Christmas Fizz Cocktails, so let’s look at Aldi’s selection. When I say that Aldi has a great selection of spirits and liqueurs to choose from this Christmas, I seriously mean it, just take a look at their Gin section. They have so many craft gins which would be a delight to enjoy over Christmas, like Spiced Plum and Clementine, Mulled Berry and Cranberry and Spiced Biscuit to name a few.

As many of us have different tastes, I’ve got here a Gin, Rum and Whiskey, I’ve picked a bottle of Prosecco and created 3 different unique Christmas Cocktails using Aldi’s Gin, Rum and Whisky,  if any of them appeal to you, you’ll be able to enjoy them over Christmas.

Montelvini

Montelvini has been around for 135 years, owned by the Serena family, the current owner, Armando Serena has been President of Montelvini since 1968, located in a small region in Montello in Italy, the Serena family has dedicated themselves to producing wine with skill and passion.

Montelvini – Serenitatis Asolo Prosecco Superiore Extra Brut Millesimato 2020 – Tasting Notes

Aroma “Lively floral, chalky apricot, honeysuckle, garden herbs and light green pear on the aroma.”

Flavour “A very pleasant combination of dry flavours, including green apple, green pear, white floral and chalky citrus.”

The Gin – Spiced Plum and Clementine

Gin Tasting Notes: “A wonderful expression of clementine, it brings to mind the orange aroma from Terry’s Chocolate Orange. I also get Christmas greenery, like Holly and Christmas tree.
A perfectly crafted fusion of plum and clementine, it’s sweet from what tastes like the ripeness of the fruits picked at the absolutely perfect time, perfectly balanced.”

Gin Fizz Cocktail: “Initially greeted with fresh plum then followed by clementine on the aroma. Plum and Clementine, with chalky citrus and white floral on the palate.”

How To Make The Christmas Plum Cocktail

1. Pour in 15mls of Spiced Plum and Clementine Gin.
2. Top up with 100mls of Sparkling Wine.
3. Place in an Orange Slice.
4. Chop up half a Plum and place it into your glass for the final garnish.

The Whisky – Highland Black – 8 Years Old

Whisky Tasting Notes: “Cinnamon, toffee and cooked banana on the aroma. Oaky Wood, malt, dark chocolate, fudge, vanilla and sticky toffee pudding flavours.”

Whisky Fizz Cocktail: “Toasty lemon aromas. A creamy citrus driven cocktail, with an undertone of malt, dark chocolate and fudge from the Whiskey.”

How To Make The Rocky Highlands Cocktail

1. Fill your glass with Ice Cubes.
2. Pour in 25mls of Highland Black Whiskey.
3. Top up with 100mls of Sparkling Wine.
4. Add in a Lemon Wheel to finish.

The Rum – Old Hopking – Spiced Gold

Rum Tasting Notes: “Smooth and creamy banana and Caribbean spice, banana spice cake with whipped cream on top on the aroma. A smooth creamy vanilla and Caribbean spice, a wonderful balance of a younger and vibrant and old and elegant Rum, it’s warming and smooth, a fantastic experience for the price.”

Rum Cocktail: “Moroccan Almond, almond cake on the aroma. A drying taste of almond, hints of Caribbean spice, paired with chalky and white floral from the Sparkling Wine on the palate.”

How To Make The Almond Voyage Cocktail

1. Pour in 20mls of your Old Hopking Rum.
2. Place 2 drops of Moroccan Almond into your glass.
3. Top up with 100mls of Sparkling Wine.

If these Fizz Cocktails aren’t to your liking, then check out Christmas Liqueurs From Aldi or Fizzy Liqueur Cocktails From Aldi.

We’ve got plenty of other Christmas showstopper articles coming up, so stick around, but if we don’t see you again, have a Very Merry Christmas from Glass of Bubbly.

Merry Christmas Everyone

They claim it’s ‘the most festive bottle you will ever see!” and I’m inclined to agree with them, a fantastic Christmas bottle design, it won’t look out of place this December, that’s for sure. it’s available from Harvey Nichols for only £25. You get a 50cl bottle of Gin Liqueur in a Half a Sixpence display box, even containing a brief history of the pudding on the side of the box. It’s also Vegan friendly and contains no nuts or dairy.

The Gin Liqueur contains warming flavours of Christmas spices, including cinnamon with mince pie, Christmas cake, dried fruit like raisins and prunes overlaid with icing sugar, toffee and syrup on the aroma. A syrupy sweetness, combined with dried fruits, gives you a liquefied Christmas pudding on the palate. Although you can’t see it clearly in the bottle, there’s also a golden shimmer that shines beautifully in your glass.

When creating this year’s Christmas drink, they took inspiration from the old tradition of placing half a sixpence into a pudding mix, the whole family would stir the pot at least once and whoever found the sixpence in their serving on Christmas Day would enjoy wealth and prosperity for the year ahead.

The Sparkling Wine

Paolo Ferri Wines – Preja Extra Brut – Tasting Notes

If you like the sound of this Italian Sparkling Wine from Paolo Ferri, you can find them on their website or Facebook page.

Aroma “Fresh green apples, green pears, gooseberry with the slightest hint of spice and orange zest on the aroma.”

Flavour “A vibrant expression of orchard fruits, a mixture of ripe and unripe, with minerals, and a natural spice on the palate.”

This Italian Sparkling Wine Won a Silver Medal in the Summer Days Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021

The Cocktail

Ingredients

• Sparkling Wine
• Christmas Pudding Gin

How To Make The Christmas Pudding Cocktail

1. Pour 30mls of your Christmas Pudding Gin into your glass.
2. Top up with 100mls of Sparkling Wine.
3. Then Sprinkle 1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon on top.

Tasting Notes

Aroma “Cinnamon, syrupy dried fruits and the smallest hints of chocolate on the aroma.”

Flavour “Light touches of syrup, then flows into crisp green apples, followed by dried fruits at the end, the cinnamon leads the cocktail all the way through. It’s like a Christmas party, it starts off slow but ends with a lot of fun.”

It might seem quite extravagant, posh or something for the bartender to prepare, but in fact, it is a very easy to prepare cocktail, one which looks very picturesque in the glass and certainly will raise an impressed eyebrow or two. A glass of Champagne is one thing, a Champagne cocktail is on another level!

How to Make a Traditional Champagne Cocktail:

Also known as the Classic Champagne Cocktail, the Traditional Champagne Cocktail is very easy to make. The following are the ingredients that you will need:

• A bottle of your favourite chilled Champagne.
• One mini bottle of Angostura Bitters.
• One Lemon.
• One brown sugar cube.

Tools to make this happen:

• Champagne Glass (ideally a flute)
• Spoon.
• Sharp knife.

There you have it – Basic ingredients and tools and yet you can dazzle all with a Traditional Champagne Cocktail.

Champagne used was from the winery Roger Constant Lemaire (Select Reserve).

This is an exciting box to receive in the post, most of us love a bottle of Prosecco, but to add to that, get all the ingredients you need to create a delicious cocktail as well, now that sounds perfect.

Opening the box you see a beautiful design of a fox’s face, along with the hashtag, #FreeTheFox, it’s nicely presented inside, providing everything you need to create your own Christmas Spritz Cocktail, the only thing you need to provide is the glass and ice.

The Pale Fox Prosecco

The Pale Fox Prosecco brand was created by two English men on a late summer’s afternoon in 2018, in a forgotten corner of northern Italy, where the Venetian coastal plain rises to form the first foothills of the Alps, lies the Valle delle Volpi or Valley of the Foxes. Located in the exclusive Superiore DOCG region of Asolo-Montello, where according to legend, the foxes gather to play in the pale moonlight among the vines where pale grapes grow, the two English wine enthusiasts tasted some sparkling wine from the region, which inspired them to create their own brand, gaining inspiration for their name thanks to the Foxes meeting up by the Pale grapes on the vines in the Pale moonlight.

They control the yield of each harvest, making sure they prioritize quality over quantity, only picking the best grapes. Pale Fox put in a lot of effort to make sure they are sustainable, with only using 100% renewable energy sources, from both solar and hydro-electric energy, they have also partnered with Ecologi to plant a tree every time they place an order. Pale Fox can also proudly states that they are 100% plant-based, making them 100% Vegan friendly. For an added bonus they don’t add in a lot of added sugar, allowing the Prosecco to do the talking and making each glass only 75 Kcal.

Most Prosecco’s undergo 30 days of secondary fermentation, but Pale Fox decided they wanted to extend that time to 90 days, resulting in what they believe is an infinitely more complex flavour and finer, more persistent bubbles, let’s try it and see if those extra 60 days are worth the wait.

Aroma “A very smooth aroma of green apples, soft citrus, ripe yellow fruits, floral notes with a sweetness on the aroma.”

Flavour “An expressive array of flavours, ranging from fresh orchard fruits, white floral, pink salmon and honeysuckle, it’s smooth with a sherbety kick.”

Christmas Spritz Cocktail

Ingredients

• Pale Fox Prosecco
• Bitter Amaro
• Cranberry Syrup
• Sparkling Water
• Dried Orange

How To Make the Christmas Spritz Cocktail

1. Add ice to a large wine glass.
2. Add 20mls of Bitter Amaro.
3. Add 15mls of Cranberry Juice.
4. Pour in 125mls of chilled Prosecco to your glass.
5. Top with a dash of Sparkling Water.
6. Then garnish with some orange wheel garnish.

Tasting Notes

Aroma “A Cranberry and orange, with a touch of bitter amaro on the aroma., which gives it those herbal notes.”

Flavour “A cool refreshing cocktail, an inital sweet touch from the Cranberry syrup, which flows into a light orange/herbal bitters flavour, combined with a crispt Fruity touch from the Prosecco.”

After enjoying that delicious cocktail, why not enjoy the final little treat they’ve included in the box for you, a little biscuit to complete the whole experience, if this sounds like an interesting experience or even a gift for someone you love this Christmas, you can check out this set right here.

1. First sighted by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, the country was later mapped by James Cook.
2. The famous New Zealand Haka is performed to display a tribe’s pride, strength and unity, it is a type of ceremonial Māori dance or challenge performed in a group.
3. New Zealand is part of the ‘Zealandia’ continent, of which, 93% is submerged.
4. No more than 800 years ago, New Zealand was undiscovered and completely devoid of human beings.
5. The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s logo is the Kiwi, which is a flightless bird.
6. One Australian man in 2006 logged onto eBay and tried to sell New Zealand, the listing started at AU$0.01 and reached AU$3000, before eBay realized that he was not the legitimate owner and closed the auction.
7. Starting in 2014, New Zealand has banned all advertising on TV on Christmas, Easter, Good Friday and ANZAC Day.

Thanks to FactSlides for helping me with discovering the facts.

Why are New Zealander’s sometimes called Kiwis? The name came around during the First World War, where the New Zealand soldiers were referred to as ‘kiwis’, the nickname probably happened because of the kiwi bird which New Zealand use as an emblem and hold in high regard.

The Sparkling Wine – No.1 Family Estate

No.1 Family Estate was born in 1977 by Adele & Daniel, they chose the name No.1 Family Estate in recognition of the many ‘firsts’ in New Zealand wine they had achieved over the years while working on their first venture, Cellier Le Brun.

They released their very first Cuvée No.1 on Bastille Day in 1999 and in 2012 their No.1 Assemblé was the first wine in New Zealand to be labeled ‘Méthode Marlborough’ in place of Méthode Traditionelle.

No.1 Family Estate – Cuvée No.1 – Tasting Notes

Aroma “Burnt oak, BBQ seaweed, cooking apples and lightly toasted bread on the aroma.”

Flavour “A green and oaky taste, green apples, herbal notes, green citrus, with hints of oak on the palate.”

This New Zealand Sparkling Wine Won a Silver Medal in the Oaky & Toasty Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021

The Cocktail

Ingredients

• New Zealand Sparkling Wine
• Kiwi, Green Apple & Mango Juice
• Mint Leaf

How To Make The Kiwi Fizz Cocktail

1. You can buy a green flavoured juice in the store or chop up 2 Kiwi’s, 1 Green Apple, & Half a Mango, then blend them together and strain into your glass.
2. Pour in 50mls of your Kiwi, Apple & Mango Juice.
3. Top up with 100mls of New Zealand Sparkling Wine.
4. Place some Kiwi slices on or in the glass for Garnich.
5. Finally, place a Mint Leaf to finish.

Tasting Notes

Aroma “A lovely combination of fresh mint and kiwi, with hints of green apple on the aroma.”

Flavour “A green taste with an oaky undertone, kiwi, green apples, hints of mango, a touch of peach with oaky undertones throughout, shinning most at the close.”

• Image Credit
• Image Credit

This time we are exploring a Spirit made from English Sparkling Wine Grapes, let’s find out what this is and what it tastes like and see about placing it in an English Sparkling Wine Cocktail, to see if they just blend together or if they can really enhance the whole experience.

The Spirit of the Downs

This Spirit made using the English Sparkling Wine grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier which are grown in and around the South Downs National Park in Sussex was made by wine merchant Michael Yeoman for the Spirit of the Downs, he used the traditional method with Champagne yeasts to make the Spirit, they are also proud to say that the Spirit of the Downs is a sustainable product.

This Handcrafted Artisan Sussex Spirit Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier Varietal Vintage 2019 is a limited edition with only 700 bottles made, so don’t wait too long if you want to try this English Sparkling Wine Grape Spirit.

Michael Yeoman, Founder, Spirit of the Downs, says; “I have been inspired by the quality of wines being produced here in the Sussex and along the South Coast to produce a range of fine spirits to complement the sophistication and quality coming out of the local area. Spirit of the Downs can be drunk on its own, over ice, with a good quality tonic as a long drink or to add complexity to a range of cocktails (as a cocktail ingredient). I am so proud of the quality that we have been able to produce, and even more proud that we have worked so closely in the traditional style with local vineyards. We are extremely excited about the future and establishing not only our brand, but a new style of drinking vintage spirits in the South of England.”

Aroma –“A delicate touch of melted dark chocolate with hints of freshly baked pastry reminding me of chocolate croissants, flakes of chocolate, apricot, and prunes on the aroma.”

Flavour – “Dry mince pie, spices, plum, raisins and apricot on the palate.”

The Sparkling Wine – Fitz

Fitz, a Sparkling Wine Made in England, but can’t be called English Fizz, a triumphant story of determination against a system, to be called English Sparkling Wine if has to be made with the Traditional (Champagne) Method, but Fitz wanted to use the Charmat (Prosecco) Method, so that’s why they say their Sparkling Wine is Made In England.

Everything about this bottle is about going against the tide and creating something new and unique, the label, with 9 crowns, but one upside down, and their name Fitz comes from Anglo‐Norman times, they found the name FitzRoy, this name in many cases was given to the illegitimate son or daughter of a king to mark their Royal parent, originally the name meant ‘Son of the king’.

If you want to find out more about this fascinating story, like the fact they’ve hidden a naughty word on their bottle, you can right here: Fitz – Sparkling Wine Made In England

Aroma – “Lemon, green apples, apple pie, and almond aromas.”

Taste – “Crunchy green apple flavour with lime and almonds.”

This Made In England Sparkling Wine Won a Gold Medal in the First Date Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2020.

The English Grape Cocktail

Ingredients

• Sparkling Wine
• Spirit of the Downs Pinot Artisan Spirit
• Grapes

How To Make

1. Crush a handful of grapes to extract 15mls of grape juice.
2. Pour in 20mls of Spirit of the Downs Pinot Artisan Spirit.
3. Top up with 100mls of Sparkling Wine.
4. Then add a stem of grapes to your glass for a garnish.

Tasting Notes

Aroma –“Fizzy, freshly squeezed grapes juice, red apple, grape candy floss and hints of sweet ginger on the aroma.”

Flavour – “A delightful combination of red grape juice, garden herbs and green apples on the palate.”

Stroll up to that scaley door listening to Wilson Pickett’s ‘In the Midnight Hour’ and request entry using the password ‘ Slither To Twelve’ enter on that black carpet, right up to the barmaid and order yourself a Midnight Hour Cocktail, the only drink that will get you through the night with your mind intact, because you’ve found the only place where you feel like you belong, with the people that have left their worries at the door and are just in the moment, sit back and relax as you enjoy a Midnight Hour Cocktail.

Sparkling Wine – Cantina Ventiventi

Ventiventi means 2020 in Italian, they planted their first vines in the wine-growing district of north Modena in 2016, using the classic method to make their Italians Sparkling Wines, the company was designed and built following a modern concept, being innovative using modern technology, guaranteeing a quality wine while respecting the territory, vines and plants, they are proud to say they are working on their sustainability, being organic and becoming self-sufficient.

Cantina Ventiventi – Il Borghetto – Brut – Tasting Notes

Aroma “Toasty citrus, lightly toasted bread, lemon seeds, warm honey on toast.”

Flavour “A delicate sour citrus taste, giving you that lemon sour-sweet flavour without closing off your mouth, with lime and minerals on the palate.”

This Italian Sparkling Wine Won a Silver Medal in the Zesty & Zingy Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021

The Midnight Gin

Why the snake?
MidnightLab takes its name from a Boa with a unique morph in the world called MidnightGin.

The snake is the beginning of a new lineage.

Midnight Gin Tasting Notes

Aroma “A fine art expression of orange feel, pepper, ginger, lemon seeds and wildflowers on the aroma.”

Flavour “A warming taste of perfectly combined flavours including lemon, hints of orange, pepper and floral notes on the palate. From the initial taste, it’s warm and calming, you already taste the quality and know you’re in for an experience. This is hands down one of the best Gins I’ve ever tasted.”

The Midnight Hour Cocktail

Ingredients

• Sparkling Wine
• Midnight Gin
• Blueberry Juice
• Rosemary
• Thyme

How To Make The Midnight Hour Cocktail

1. Pour in 10mls of your Midnight Gin
2. Add 25mls of Blueberry Juice
3. Top up with 75mls of your Sparkling Wine
4. Then for a lovely garnish add a big of Rosemary and Thyme

Tasting Notes

Aroma “A lovely array of garden herbs and wild blueberries, including freshly picked rosemary and thyme, hints of orange, lemon and ginger on the aroma.”

Flavour “A natural sweet taste of garden herbs, soft spices, blueberry juice and hints of zestiness, a wonderful harmony from the midnight gin, sparkling wine, blueberry juice and fresh herbs.”