Whether you are celebrating a wedding, a graduation, a birthday, or just celebrating another day of living, having the right libations will make your big day enjoyable, memorable, and worry-free. Here, we share what’s hot this year and revisit some classics that shouldn’t be forgotten as you are planning your big celebration.

Champagne is, of course, the most traditional celebration libation (just saying or hearing “champagne” makes one think grandeur/celebration). To be called champagne it must be produced in that specific region of France. Some of the most famous champagne houses have been producing for hundreds of years. Taittinger, for example, has been producing excellent champagne since 1734.  They are based in the legendary town of Reims and offer a range of exceptional sparklers. Their Brut La Française is an elegantly fresh and delicate champagne blended from a high proportion of chardonnay grapes to yield a refined palette of pear and stone fruits offset by warm, yeasty notes and hints of bread crust. 

For the grandest of champagne experiences, I suggest Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1998, which is produced in the cellars of the thirteenth-century Saint-Nicaise Abbey. Their Comtes de Champagne is only produced when all the conditions essential to its unique style are met. The harvest must be of exceptional quality and worthy of vintage champagne. The year will be displayed on the bottle—an indication that the wine is of the same vintage quality. If the year doesn’t appear on the bottle it is considered NV, or nonvintage. Their Compte de Champagne is made exclusively from chardonnay grapes (100 percent Grands Crus) from the most renowned vineyards of the Côte des Blancs. Only wines from the first pressing (La Cuvée) are used. This guarantees the wine’s finesse. Five percent of the wines used in the blend are aged in new oak barrels (one third of which are replaced every year); this contributes to ` complex and layered flavor profile.

How I love Taittinger’s Brut Prestige Rosé on a warm summer day! It blends pinot noir and pinot meunier with a smaller quantity of chardonnay, giving it its characteristic pink hue. It is by no means sweet, as consumers have grown to expect from white zinfandels and the like, but rather offers aromas of red fruit, like freshly crushed wild raspberry, strawberry, cherry, and black currant. This is superb with fresh fruit or as an aperitif.

Consider other sparkling wines like Italian proseccos and Spanish cavas like Freixenet. There are some great values out there. Freixenet (pronounced “fresh-en-ay”) was recently named Best of Tasting and Best Value by the Wall Street Journal in a tasting of international sparkling wines. The familiar black bottle of their Cordon Negro Brut is fun and fresh, and their Carta Nevada is the fruitiest of their wines. Their premier cuvée is the Brut Nature 2000, with a lovely dryness but low acidity, creating a great, smooth bubbly.

If you are on a tight budget, I suggest domestic producer Barefoot Cellars from Modesto, California. Started by Davis Bynum in 1965, this winery has been revived and brought back to life in recent years and built a name for itself for quality, dependable, well-made wines. Winemaker Jennifer Wall exclaims that “Barefoot Bubbly Brut is the perfect start to any occasion, great with fruits, cheeses, nuts, and lovely on its own. Wine Enthusiast rated it a Best Buy, for its nice, dry, crisp acidity and a good stream of bubbles. The finish is clean and satisfying.” Barefoot offers a great selection of wines that will satisfy all your guests and keep your budget in check.

Lastly, for the bubbly fan with a sweet tooth and something a bit out of the ordinary, I recommend Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui D.O.C.G.  This sweet, fragrant red grape grows in Italy (it’s Piedmont region) and is made into a sweet, sparkling red wine. Italian wine producer Castello Banfi produces a delight-fully vivacious and festive Brachetto called Rosa Regale that features a hint of rose petals and raspberries. A red rose is pictured on the label and the bottle is eye-catching with its deeply tinted bubbles and rich red color. Rosa Regale is  wonderful either as an aperitif or as a dessert wine and pairs perfectly with chocolate cake and most sweets, so consider it an option when the dessert or cake rolls out. (Note: Keep this winner of a wine in mind for that ever difficult Easter pairing.)

If you are looking for a fun visual effect in your aperitif that will surprise and delight your guests, check out www.wildhibiscus.com. This Aust-ralian company sells wild, edible hibiscus flowers preserved in syrup, that, placed in the bottom of a glass, will gradually unfold as they soak up liquid. Imagine the effect of the flowers opening slowly in a glass of sparkling wine, with a beautiful sweet edible treat at the bottom of the glass—both for the eyes and the palate! Their website offers great recipes, serving sug-gestions, and food and beverage pairings.
A really exceptional liqueur that hit the market last year is called St. Germain Liqueur and is made from elderflowers picked in the French Alps.  Mix it with sparkling wine and club soda and watch your guests’ eyes light up when they take their first sip. Its flowery, sweet, aromatic flavor makes for a truly refreshing cocktail on a warm day. All you need is some sparkling wine, a dash of soda water, a twist of lemon, and the St. Germain. 

Want to serve scrumptious martinis but don’t have the bartending skills or manpower? Stirrings.com is a Nantucket company that makes superior, all-natural mixers for your favorite spirits. They feature a wide line of products from the Pomegranate mixer to the Mojito mixer to their Pear Martini. The list goes on and on. I particularly love their Bellini mixer, which lets you re-create the famous drink created at Harry’s Wine Bar in Venice in the 1950s that blended peach puree and prosecco. Stirring’s Bellini mixer provides the peach puree base—all you need is a bottle of prosecco for a refreshing, delicious, and unusual sparkling cocktail.

Kristine Ford, Consumer Marketing Director with Stirrings, told me that “Our two Sangria mixers—red and white—are simply delicious, and make it easier than ever to re-create this refreshing wine cocktail. Just mix one bottle of mixer with one bottle of your favorite table wine, and you’ve got the best sangria you’ve ever tasted. We are just about to release a Strawberry Daiquiri mixer, too, which will be the first super-premium option in that category. It’s made with real strawberry puree, key lime juice, and cane sugar—the taste is just incredible.”

Local entrepreneurs Alan Williams and Mark Mahoney have also caught onto this phenomenon and launched www.mixerz.com. “Pour on the Style” is the company motif. Mixerz also uses nothing but the best and freshest of ingredients in the production of their products. They feature several flavors including Cosmo, Margarita, Mojito, and Bloody Mary, to name a few. Alan’s passion for quality and authenticity is evident as he described to me that they have even created their own signature oak barrel–aged Worcestershire sauce used in their Blood Mary Mixer. Now that’s impressive. Look for Mixerz in your local fine wine and liquor stores.

Paula Palmer of Horizon Ultra Beverages is a great mixologist—or in current parlance, “cocktail chef.” She has shared a variety of great new cocktail recipes that are sure to excite your guests. For the elegant and sophisticated occasion, she suggested Running for the Roses (a Derby Day party anyone?), which combines Korbel Sparkling Wine, Finlandia Vodka, a splash of Chambord Liqueur, and is garnished with a few rose petals—elegant in both taste and appearance. Another classic that has resurfaced is the Mint Julep—also perfect for Derby Day! Paula recommends the Woodford Reserve Mint Julep Infusion, which features Woodford Reserve Bourbon infused with simple syrup and fresh mint. (Add a float of Korbel for an even more festive cocktail.) Go to www.woodfordreserve.com for recipe details.

And for the citizens of Red Sox Nation, here are a few cocktail ideas. One of my personal favorites is the Dice K. This refreshing and uplifting cocktail features Skyy 90, Zipang Sparkling Sake, and a splash of Chambord Liqueur. Just shake and serve. If you really want to impress your guests, garnish with red dice. The Green Monster features Cazadores Reposado Tequila, a splash of Midori Melon Liqueur, and is finished with fresh lime juice—a twist on the classic margarita that emphasizes melon flavors. Lastly, for those with a real sweet tooth, mix up a sweet and seductive Triple Play Martini. This combines Three Olives Triple Espresso, Bacardi Coco, and Amaretto Disaronno. The Triple Play is a layered martini that takes a little bit more technique but is well worth the effort. Shake and stir the Bacardi Coco and Disaronno into a martini glass rimmed with chocolate syrup. Shake the Three Olives Espresso Vodka with ice and layer into a martini glass.

Entertaining With Champagne Cocktails
Proprietor Garrett Harker and Master Mixologist Jackson Cannon, both of Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks, provided us with these distinctive sparkling cocktail recipes—perfect for any celebration!

Champagne Cocktail
This classic conveys timeless elegance.

6 ounces of champagne of choice
1 sugar cube
1 teaspoon Angostura bitters

1. Fill a flute with champagne leaving enough room to add a sugar cube.
2. In a glass or small bowl, thoroughly soak a sugar cube with Angostura bitters.
3. Shake off excess bitters from the sugar cube and drop into champagne flute.

Sensation

11⁄2 ounces of London dry gin (Bombay or Beefeater)
3⁄4 ounce maraschino liqueur
3⁄4 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
4 to 5 mint leaves

1. Shake over ice and strain using a tea or other fine strainer into a chilled martini glass.
2. Garnish with a single leaf of mint.
 

Old Cuban
This decadent interplay of well-aged rum, with spicy, bitter, sweet and sour elements, is accentuated by the acidity of champagne.
 
5 mint leaves
1 ounce simple syrup
3⁄4 ounce fresh lime juice
Dash Angostura bitters
11⁄2 ounces aged dark rum
2 ounces champagne

1. In a mixing glass, lightly muddle 5 mint leaves with one ounce simple syrup, 3⁄4 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice, and a dash of Angostura bitters.
2. Add 11⁄2 ounces of aged or anejo rum.
3. Shake well over ice and finely strain into a chilled champagne glass.
4. Top with champagne, and garnish with a mint leaf.
 
Belle de Jour 
This beautiful amber cocktail offers surprisingly complex flavors, balancing acidity with ripe fruit and a touch of nuttiness.

1⁄2 ounce of good-quality brandy
1⁄2 ounce Benedictine
1⁄2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 ounce grenadine
4 ounces of champagne

1. To a mixing glass add 1⁄2 ounce of brandy, Benedictine, lemon juice, and grenadine.
2. Shake lightly over ice and strain into a champagne flute.
3. Add champagne and garnish with a twist of lemon peel.

Frelate Rosé 
This rose-colored cocktail makes use of one of the hottest new liqueurs on the market, an artisanal elderflower liqueur from the French Alps.

1 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
5 ounces Moët & Chandon Nectar Imperial Rosé
Lemon twist, for garnish
 
1. In a rocks glass, pour 11⁄2 ounces St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur over ice.
2. Add Moët & Chandon Nectar Imperial Rosé.
3. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Jack Rose

2 ounces of Laird’s Applejack
3⁄4 ounce grenadine (see recipe for homemade grenadine below)
1⁄2 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Dash of Peychaud’s Bitters

1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake.
2. Strain into a chilled martini glass.

Grenadine

1 cup 100 percent pomegranate juice
1⁄2 cup refined cane sugar
1 tablespoon orange blossom water

1. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer to thicken slightly.
2. Stir in orange blossom water. Let cool and keep refrigerated.

Here’s a list of things to help you plan the beverages for your event.

Know Your Party People
What type of crowd are you hosting? Are they more of a wine crowd or more of a beer and cocktails crowd? If they are both, put together a list of your beverage lineup—maybe a bubbly to start, a couple of wine options (red and white), a few beer options, and a cocktail menu featuring a few signature drinks. You want everyone to have something that they can enjoy. Each category can be selected to cover a wide array of tastes. 

What’s All the Fuss For?
What are we celebrating? Keep in mind the type of party you are hosting. Is it a formal sit-down event like a wedding, or is it a more casual, outdoor clambake? Think of the logistics of glass on the beach or plastic cups at a wedding! 

Picking the Right Wines and Beverages
You can go with drinks that have a connection to the hosts or guest of honor. Consider products that have relevant packaging or a label that ties into your theme.  You can focus on the budget and choose products that are within the right price range. Or for those who are fortunate enough to not have a budget, go for the wow factor with top-shelf wine and spirits.

Celebrating The Golden Age Of Cocktails
Did you know that 2008 marks the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition? (Now that’s something worth celebrating!) At Eastern Standard Kitchen and Drinks in the Commonwealth Hotel in Kenmore Square, Bar Manager and Master Mixologist Jackson Cannon is honoring this momentous act by assembling some of the era’s greatest classic cocktails. The program kicked off in January with the Hanky Panky, which features London Dry Gin, Martini sweet ver-mouth, Fernet Branca, and a twist of orange. The drink menu provides the history of the drinks they are showcasing each month. Ada Coleman of the Savoy Hotel created this invigorating beverage for an Edwardian actor named Charles Hawtrey, “One of the best judges of cocktails that I knew,” she told The People, an everyman’s newspaper of the day, in 1925. “He sipped it, and, draining the glass, he said, ‘By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!’”
The Prohibition Cocktail Menu features clever names relevant to the Roaring Twenties, like The Income Tax Cocktail, The Charles Lindberg, and Satan’s Whiskers, which features London Dry, sweet and dry vermouth, fresh orange, dashes of Curacao and orange bitters. All are followed by historical facts of the origin of the cocktail and, of course, quirky clever plays on words and celebrity quotes. Jackson encourages you to try these legendary cocktails and even offers a Prohibition tasting “flight,” featuring two-ounce tastes of each of the twelve cocktails for $75. 
If you love great cocktails but your technique needs work, sign up for mixology lessons with Jackson. The classes are limited to eight people and will run through November. Some of the classes are The Golden Age of the American Cocktail on November 8th and Prohibition on November 15th. The Prohibition Program will culminate with a Roaring Twenties ball, complete with flapper couture and top hats, starting on December 4th and ending on December 5th at midnight. 
“Prohibition represents the triumph of ingenuity in the face of deprivation,” says Cannon. “Using syrups, juices, and obscure cordials that remained from before Prohibition, bartenders created cocktails in order to mask the taste of homemade distillates. The legacy of Prohibition? What was arrived at out of necessity has—using today’s fine spirits—withstood the test of time.”

Brian Lamb has fifteen years of experience in the food and beverage industry. Brian has worked in restaurants, wine and spirits distribution, and now owns Ourglass Wine Company, a boutique wine shop in Saugus, Massachusetts. His areas of focus are wine, gourmet foods, travel, food pairings, and restaurant reviews. For more info, go to www.ourglasswineco.com.