National Champagne Week – 1st to 7th October

Talk about being in your element – our award winning Company Mixologist, Craig Bonner, has been counting down the days to National Champagne Week and at last, here it is!  And we couldn’t let it go by without cornering Craig and asking him to put some words to paper and share his favourite Champagne cocktail recipes! 

Over to you, Craig…

We love Champagne and we love to talk about it.

It’s National Champagne Week and I think it’s imperative that we take every opportunity to drink as much of it as we can! In fact we should take a leaf out of Marilyn Monroe’s book and take a bath in it*. 350 bottles of Champagne were used to fill up her bath tub!

Champagne is exciting to drink and can conjure up feelings of good times, friendship, sophistication and utter elegance. Let’s all be honest here, it the only alcoholic drink you can be seen to be drinking in the morning and it not be branded inappropriate!

Here at Heritage Portfolio we are very proud of what we serve to our customers and have a great partnership with Vranken Pommery Champagne.  They’re world number 2 producer of Champagne and their Rose Champagne won Rose Champagne of the year 2016.  They’re as passionate about sustainability as we are and have created the first environmentally responsible champagne, POP Earth. It is made from sustainably-grown grapes, in a lighter bottle with a recycled paper label. This means that while you drink it you are also saving the earth – everyone’s a winner!

Last year I was delighted to be part of a group from work who had a fantastic trip to the Pommery Domaine where we learnt about and sampled some fantastic Champagnes from the Pommery Range. 

We love sharing our passion for food and drink here at Heritage Portfolio and you can sample the complete seasons range as part of a ‘Champagne Tasting Tray’ at Colonnades and at Musselburgh Racecourse as you have a flutter!  Speak to one of our event designers about adding a glass or two of Champagne to your event – yum!

Keep checking back with us as I’ll be posting some of my favourite Champagne cocktails that you can make at home every day this week!

Cheers!!!

*please note that while this sounds delightful, Heritage Portfolio does not advocate bathing in Champagne from a health and safety perspective.  Though it does sound fun, maybe with a dash of Chambord or a splash of raspberry gin…

Craig's favourite Champagne cocktail recipes: 

Classic Champagne Cocktail with a Twist

I’ve changed the classic Champagne Cocktail and instead of cognac I’m using a pear cognac called Xante and chocolate bitters.

Add 4 drops of chocolate bitter to a brown sugar cube and place in the bottom of a champagne flute, add the cognac and top up with Pommery Brut Royal or your favourite champagne and a strip of lemon rind.

French 75

My ULTIMATE favourite champagne cocktail!!
French 75 was created in the New York Bar in Paris in 1915.  The combination was said to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm field gun!

To a flute, add 50ml of your favourite gin (I always use Edinburgh Cannonball Gin), 50ml lemon juice , 25ml sugar syrup and top up with Pommery Brut Royal or your favourite champagne.  Garnish with lemon ring. 

Tangerine Champagne Sorbet

I’m not sure if this is a drink or dessert or both but it’s delicious!

I’m using tangerine sorbet from our local suppler Di Rollo of Musselburgh, one generous scoop in the bottom of a glass, 25ml of Edinburgh Gin’s Elderflower gin liquor ( can use St Germain elderflower or even an elderflower cordial) top up with one of Pommery's seasonal Champagnes - Pommery Falltime or your favourite champagne. 

Pink Champagne Lady

Adapted from the classic 1919 cocktail - the White Lady! To a cocktail shaker add 25ml of gin (I’m using Edinburgh Rhubarb and Ginger gin), 10ml or Triple Sec, 25ml of lemon juice, 25ml raspberry puree and half an egg white (optional).  Shake all together, pour into a champagne flute and top up with 50ml of Pommery Brut Rose of your favourite champagne.

If you used an egg white, you should have a lovely creamy froth on top.

Fizzy Mary

Start your day off with our twist on a Bloody Mary, a Fizzy Mary!!

Start off with a 25ml of your favourite vodka, a squeeze of lime juice, a good dash of Worcestershire sauce, dash of cracked black pepper, 50ml of tomato juice, the tip of a tea spoon of horse radish and mix well. Top up with champagne, garnish with an olive and slice of spicy chorizo!

Blueberry Royal Mojito