Prosecco is easily one of the best drinks you can use for a delicious and refreshing cocktail, and considering it is substantially cheaper than most champagnes, it is something you can enjoy regularly. Here are a few of the best cocktails you need to try.
Apple Cider Aperol Spritz
An apple cider Aperol spritz is a fun and unique take on a classic. Apple cider and Aperol is a combo you may not think works well, but it definitely does. Throw in some fruity and fizzy King Valley prosecco with a stick of cinnamon, and you have a spicy yet light cocktail that is perfect for a Summer sunset or a warm Christmas evening.
Bellini
The Bellini is an absolute classic that almost anyone will enjoy. The recipe is simple, too; add a spoonful of sweet and tangy peach puree to a glass of prosecco and top it with a slice of peach. It is light, incredibly refreshing, and with a couple of ice cubes, it is perfect for cooling down on a warm day.
Negroni Sbagliato
While a Negroni Sbagliato is a drink that won’t be for everyone, it is still worth trying. Vermouth, Campari, and orange are combined with prosecco to create a unique but fresh drink that won’t be out of place at an upmarket rooftop bar.
Berry Fizz
Similar to a Bellini, a Berry Fizz is a refreshing, fruity, and incredibly simple cocktail to make. All you need is a glass of prosecco topped with a few raspberries or blackberries. Crushing a few berries to release their juices adds a bit of zing and more flavor to your drink.
Mimosa
Prosecco, like champagne, is most definitely a drink you can enjoy over breakfast, and there is no better way to do it than with a mimosa. Mix orange juice and prosecco with a ratio depending on your taste, and enjoy this adult-only breakfast or brunch classic.
French 77
A French 77 is another fairly unique cocktail with prosecco. Mix an ounce of elderflower liqueur with half an ounce of lemon juice and ice and shake it, then pour it over a glass of prosecco. The zingy lemon flavor is balanced perfectly with the fruity prosecco, with the elderflower’s subtle sweet floral notes.
Hugo Cocktail
The Hugo cocktail is similar to a French 77 in the sense that it also uses elderflower, but it is, surprisingly, closer to a Mojito. Mint and lime are added to a glass, with a dash of elderflower liqueur, ice, and topped with soda water and prosecco. It’s tropical, it’s fun, it’s a bit boozy, and most of all, it’s absolutely delicious.
Tropical Fizz
Another fizz variation involves tropical island classics like coconut and pineapple. The easy recipe involves mixing half an ounce of coconut rum with an ounce of pineapple juice, and four ounces of prosecco.
Choosing the Right Prosecco
When choosing a prosecco for your cocktails, there are a few things you should know and look out for, especially if you haven’t tasted much prosecco in the past.
Understand the Styles
The first thing you need to do is understand the different styles, as it can help you when making your cocktails. Brut is the least sweet, and is more dry but crisp, whereas extra dry is sweeter but balanced.
Thirdly, you get dry prosecco, which is the sweetest of the three, and is much more fruit-forward. Dry prosecco is typically the style of choice for those who drink prosecco regularly.
DOC vs DOCG
In short, DOC grapes are ones that are widely produced, and are used in the making of more affordable and accessible proseccos. If you find a bottle that is affordable and on a supermarket shelf, it is most likely made from DOC grapes.
On the other hand, DOCG grapes are much higher quality and have stricter production standards, which makes the prosecco more expensive. While it is often an unsaid rule of not using high-quality alcohol for cocktails, if you have the budget, it is worth spending the money.
Choose Based on Use
When it comes to just choosing the best type of prosecco for cocktails, one of the easiest choices is to opt for a Brut made from DOC grapes. It will offer the perfect base for cocktails, and most importantly, it is affordable enough for you to buy a few bottles at a time.
Label Clues
On most prosecco bottle labels, you will find a few words that could be confusing. If you see the word “millesimato” that means a single grape was used and the prosecco is high quality. Another common label addition is “frizzante,” which means the prosecco is lightly sparkling.
Lastly, “spumante” means fully sparkling, and is typically the prosecco of choice for those who love prosecco and drink it regularly.
Flavor Profile
Finally, if you have never tasted prosecco before, the flavors you can expect are very fruit-forward. White peach, apple, pear, citrus, and a few notes of berry are usually the flavor palate you can expect, with some variations depending on the region the prosecco comes from, the grapes used, etc.
