Prosecco Cocktails and Drinks - Most Popular Recipes

August 24, 2020

Prosecco is taking party tables by storm in Poland and throughout Europe. Each year, Italians produce over half a billion bottles of this sparkling beverage! Prosecco cocktails are now an almost essential item on every bartender's menu – especially in summer. It's worth learning a few recipes using this fruity, refreshing wine and surprising guests at your next home party!

Prosecco – a party hit

Italy is one of the most important wine-producing countries in the world. Thanks to its warm and humid climate, various grape varieties have yielded juicy fruits there for hundreds of years. Although the French invented champagne a little earlier on the wine timeline, they now seem to be losing the battle in the sparkling wine market to the Italians. Residents of the Apennine Peninsula export over half a billion bottles of their beverage worldwide each year!

In Poland, you can easily find bottles of good Prosecco on supermarket shelves. This name is legally reserved exclusively for specific wines produced in Italy, so there's no need to fear counterfeits. The Glera grape variety – locally known as Prosecco – is used for its production, with a minimal admixture of others. Thus, each will be quite similar in taste, although they differ in nuances.

How does this Italian wine taste? Which variety will be best for preparing Prosecco cocktails?

The unique taste of Prosecco

Prosecco is distinguished by its fresh aroma, which, together with the bubbles, creates an incredibly refreshing combination. The discernible notes are primarily fruits: apples, pears, citrus zest, and possibly flowers. It pairs perfectly with sweet liqueurs, but also with tart spirits. An excellent example is the truly summery combination of Prosecco with Aperol.

Unlike champagne, which is usually only drunk on special occasions and whose taste doesn't always suit everyone due to its more varied and dry aromas, Prosecco is an undisputed hit at all kinds of parties. It also doesn't require much effort in serving – just remember that whether served on its own or, for example, as a Prosecco and vodka drink, this beverage should always be chilled to at least 6-8°C.

The best Prosecco for cocktails

Prosecco is produced in a fairly similar way to champagne up to a certain point. The difference is that the French beverage ferments a second time in the bottle, and only then is carbon dioxide released – which is why this wine changes its taste and becomes more complex year after year. Prosecco, however, is transferred to special tanks at this time, and only goes into corked bottles when bubbles appear. Unlike champagne, it's better not to store it, but to drink it soon after bringing it home from the store.

This beverage exists only in its white version. You can taste more or less noticeable bubbles in it, or... buy a wine that doesn't have any! The most carbonated variety is spumante. Slightly sparkling and delicate are those of the frizzante type. Tranquillo, meaning "still," has no carbon dioxide at all. It tastes great with a main course or appetizer, but if you want to make a Prosecco drink, it's better to choose the first two, full of refreshing bubbles.

There are also different levels of dryness in Prosecco – a drink with each of them will taste different. The classification is slightly different than for ordinary Italian wines. Here, brut is the driest. Then – in order from relatively tart to sweetest – there are extra dry, dry, and demi-sec. The rule is simple: the denser the sugary additives, the less of it should be in the wine used for cocktails.

Serving Prosecco cocktails

To serve Prosecco cocktails, you primarily need tall champagne flutes. Thanks to them, the colors of the prepared cocktail along with the bubbles will shimmer in the light, and the gas will not escape as quickly. If there are more ingredients, and the vessel is to contain plenty of ice and juicy fruits, red wine glasses will work perfectly. The long stem will protect the drink from overheating, and the thick Crystalline glass will slow down the melting of the ice.

There is nothing to prevent you from multiplying the amount of ingredients, for example, in a recipe for a Prosecco and Martini drink and making a cocktail... in a glass pitcher! Prepared in this way, it will be sensational at a party, and every guest will be able to taste unique and new flavors!

Prosecco drinks - recipes

Prosecco cocktails are really easy to prepare! You don't need a shaker for them, because using it could cause the gas to escape too quickly. However, it's worth preparing plenty of ice, frozen forest and garden fruits, and juicy citrus fruits in advance. You should also thoroughly chill the beverages used. A sparkling wine drink is, after all, primarily meant to refresh, put you in a good mood, and – served during dinner – act as an aperitif.

Aperol Spritz - recipe

To prepare Aperol Spritz, you will need:

100 ml Prosecco;
60 ml Aperol;
30 ml sparkling water;
A few ice cubes;
Half a slice of orange.

Place ice in a tall champagne flute, then pour and mix Prosecco, Aperol, and sparkling water. Place half a slice of fresh orange on the rim of the glass.

Prosecco with Martini Fiero - recipe

To prepare Prosecco with Martini Fiero, you will need:

300 ml Prosecco;
300 ml Martini Fiero;
200 ml sparkling water;
A handful of ice cubes;
A juicy orange cut into slices.

Drinks with Martini, Prosecco and sparkling water are best prepared directly in a large pitcher, because as time passes, the cocktail slightly changes its taste to a drier one thanks to the oils released from the orange peel. Just put ice and fruit slices at the bottom of the container, then pour in cold water and alcohol. Mix thoroughly with a spoon, serve chilled.

Prosecco with Sprite - recipe

To prepare lemonade Prosecco, you will need:

70 ml Prosecco;
200 ml Sprite;
100 ml sparkling water;
Juice squeezed from half a lemon;
A teaspoon of sugar dissolved in a teaspoon of hot water;
A few ice cubes;
Mint leaves.

A drink with Prosecco, Sprite and lemon juice is a great way to refresh yourself in summer for fans of citrus flavor. Place ice and mint leaves in a glass. Then add sugar syrup, lemon juice, water, Sprite and Prosecco. Mix gently but thoroughly with a teaspoon.

French 75 (Prosecco with gin) - recipe

To prepare French 75, you will need:

100 ml Gin;
200 ml Prosecco;
50 ml lemon juice;
A teaspoon of sugar dissolved in a teaspoon of hot water.

The Prosecco-Gin drink named French 75 is over 100 years old! It was invented during World War I and was considered by soldiers visiting the "New York Bar" in Paris to be one of the most refreshing and energizing! For its preparation, all ingredients must be thoroughly chilled to a temperature of about 2-3°C. Then, simply gently mix all ingredients in a flute-style champagne glass. Serve chilled.

Cointreau Spritz (Prosecco with Cointreau) - recipe

To prepare Cointreau Spritz, you will need:

200 ml Prosecco;
25 ml Cointreau;
100 ml orange juice;
Sparkling water to top up;
2 orange slices cut in half;
A few ice cubes.

Place plenty of ice and orange slices in a large red wine glass. Then pour in Prosecco, orange juice, Cointreau, and mix. Top up with sparkling water to your preference.

Pink Prosecco - recipe

To prepare Pink Prosecco, you will need:

200 ml Prosecco;
30 ml vodka;
120 ml juice squeezed from half a grapefruit;
Ice from a few cubes crushed in a blender;
A spoon of sugar and a spoon of lemon for the rim.

Dip the rim of the glass in lemon juice, then in sugar, creating an attractive crust. Put crushed ice into the glass, then pour in Prosecco, vodka, and grapefruit juice. Serve immediately.