Photography Credit: Alison Bickel

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It’s almost New Year’s Eve! Whether you have a big all-night party planned—or you’re me, and hope to maybe make it to 10pm before conking out—there should be a sparkling wine cocktail to mark the occasion!

And I have the perfect thing: Chamb’ and Bubbly.

Yes, Chamb’ and Bubbly, as my husband hilariously dubbed it in honor of one of the greatest SNL skits of all time. Technically I’m talking about a Chambord Kir Royale, which is made by mixing champagne or sparkling wine with Chambord, a French raspberry liqueur that is just as good as it sounds.

This drink is sparkling, festive, and perfect for sipping as you sing Auld Lang Syne. It’s Chamb’ and Bubbly.

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ABOUT CHAMBORD LIQUEUR

Chambord is a deluxe liqueur made in the Loire Valley. According to its website, Chambord is made from blackberries and raspberries “soaked in French spirits” for six weeks, pressed, then expertly blended with French cognac, Madagascar vanilla, herbs, and raspberry and blackberry extracts.

It’s a deep purple color, with a lovely silky and sweet (but not cloyingly so) raspberry flavor. And obviously you get a lot of other notes in there, too, like vanilla, orange, a little honey. It is crazy delicious.

Once you have a bottle, it’s time to get adventurous: Pour it over pancakes or ice cream for a decadent treat, or swap it for the simple syrup in an Old Fashioned, Blueberry Margarita, or your favorite cocktail. It works well with vodka, rum, gin, even bourbon, so there is room to play around!

SPARKLING WINE RECOMMENDATIONS

Have a $70 bottle of champagne just hanging around in your fridge? Put it back right now. Don’t even look at it for this drink.

You’re making a sparkling wine cocktail with an assertive berry liqueur. Sparkling wine is the less-showy date in this pairing. If you were buying a suit, we’d be talking solid, everyday-blue-suit territory here—something sensible, able to be dressed up or down. You do not need the sparkling wine equivalent of a tux for this party.

I bought a $13 bottle of Blanc de Blancs De Perriere Brut from my local wine store, and it was great for this drink. It’s nice that it’s a French sparkling wine to go with the French Chambord, but no need to be that regional. Any inexpensive sparkling wine, prosecco, or even cava will work!

THE CORRECT ORDER TO MIX A CHAMBORD KIR ROYALE

Almost every other recipe I’ve seen for a Chamb’ and Bubbly calls for adding the Chambord to the glass first, and then pouring in the sparkling wine. But the label on the Chambord bottle says to do the opposite: Pour the sparkling wine first, then top with the Chambord.

I tried it both ways, and I can confidently say the best order is sparkling wine first, Chambord second. Do what the French say, that’s my motto!

When I added Chambord first and poured the sparkling wine into it, the wine bubbled almost to overflowing and the two ingredients did not mix. The Chambord mostly stayed at the bottom of the flute—you could even see a color gradation, paler at the top and more concentrated at the bottom—and my first few sips were basically just sparkling wine.

But when I poured the Chambord into a flute of sparkling wine, it fizzed for a bit then perfectly mixed to create that lovely, uniform raspberry color, every sip full of Chambord goodness.

So, to recap: Fill the flute with sparkling wine first, then pour in the Chambord.

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