Best-ever sparkling cocktails for New Year's Eve

Auld Lang Syne

Rob Taylor, Food & Beverage Manager at Deerhurst Resort, whips up this fizzy, festive tipple to ring in the new year.

STIR 1/4 cup fresh-pressed apple juice with 2 tbsp Drambuie in a flute glas. Top with cold champagne. Garnish with an apple slice and cranberry.

The Audrey

Ottawa’s 107 Fourth Avenue Wine Bar & Café serves this sparkler, but owner Dave Eaton refuses to take credit: He discovered it at Aperitivo Et Al in Bellagio, Italy, and it’s named after the bartender there who created it.

RUN an orange wedge around the rim of a rocks glass, then turn upside down on to a plate of brown sugar to coat.

FILL glass with ice. Add 3 tbsp Martini Rosso red vermouth and juice of 1/2 orange. Top with 1/3 cup prosecco.

Lemon-thyme wine spritzer

Mix up a few of these sparkly spritzers, and ring in the new year sipping on elegant, fresh-flavoured cocktails.

COMBINE 1/3 cup granulated sugar with 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and set over medium-high. Boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 3 thyme sprigs, 2 wide strips lemon peel and 1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns. Remove from heat and let stand 25 min. Refrigerate until chilled, about 10 min. 

FILL each of 4 glasses with 1/2 cup white-wine and 2 tbsp thyme syrup. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with a thin half-moon slice of lemon skewered with a small sprig of thyme.

Festive Fizz cocktail

Make your holidays a little more cheery with this delicious drink from sommelier Natalie MacLean.

POUR 1 tsp Cointreau or orange liqueur into a champagne flute, followed by 1 tsp Fragoli strawberry liqueur. Top up with champagne or sparkling wine. Garnish with a fresh strawberry.

Icewine martini

Pour this sparkler into tall flutes or martini glasses, and pass around before midnight to raise in a cheer to the new year.

POUR 2 tbsp each icewine and vodka into a champagne flute. Top with champagne or sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange twist.

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