It’s hard to think of New Year’s Eve without thinking of Champagne, so I thought this week would be the perfect time to write about Champagne cocktails. Mimosas (Champagne and orange juice) are always fun, and Bellinis (Champagne and peach puree) even more so, but there’s an entire world of more sophisticated Champagne cocktails out there. Let’s explore it, starting in Portland.

A quick note before we dive into the world of bubbles: When I say “Champagne” or “bubbly,” what I really mean is “whatever version of sparkling wine you have on hand.” I lived in France for four years, and I assure you, they did not use the good stuff when mixing it with other ingredients. A kir royale, the classic mix of bubbly and crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur), is more often made with a regular (i.e., much less expensive) French sparkling wine than with actual Champagne (meaning it’s from that region of France). They tend to save the good stuff for drinking on its own.

One of my favorite Champagne cocktails, the Poinsettia, is made using Champagne, cranberry juice and simple syrup. You can order one at Top of the East at the Westin Hotel for $9. At home, I often make a variation called the Pomegranate Poinsettia in which I use Champagne, pomegranate liqueur and pomegranate juice.

Another classic Champagne cocktail is the French 75: Champagne, gin, lemon juice and simple syrup. You can get one for $9 at Petite Jacqueline. If you like trying twists on classic cocktails, head to Black Cow for its $10 LG 75, a longtime menu staple there. The LG stands for lemongrass, and if you enjoy trying to make your own, you’ll need 1 ounce London Dry Gin, 1 ounce lemongrass syrup, 1/2 ounce lemon juice, 2 dashes Scrappy’s cardamom bitters and 3 ounces of bubbly. Garnish with lemon zest.

If your tastes run more Italian than French or Asian, Via Vecchia offers a $12 Radio City Spritz made with Contratto Aperitivo (a popular Italian aperitif made with bitter and sweet oranges macerated in Italian brandy), prosecco, becherovka (an herbal liqueur), blood orange oil, a Campari-infused sugar cube and Dove Shanks bitters.

If cava is your preferred sparkling wine, head to The Armory in the Regency Hotel for its $11 Delightful Dalliance. First, they grind dried hibiscus flowers in a spice grinder until it’s a fine powder. They then mix it with sugar to create a hibiscus sugar. They dip the rim of a Champagne flute in simple syrup (although plain water also works) and then dip it in the hibiscus sugar to create a gorgeous colored rim. Finally, they fill the flute with cava and add half an eyedropper of orange blossom water and 8-10 dashes of Coastal Root Flower Bitters. They finish it off by adding an orange twist for an extra hint of citrus and dramatic effect.

The most intriguing Champagne cocktail I came across is Sur Lie’s $14 Great Pumpkin: 1.5 ounces Back River gin, 1 ounce pumpkin syrup, 1/2 ounce lemon juice and a dash of St. George Absinthe, topped with bubbly and garnished with a grapefruit twist and a cherry.

Finally, if that’s not enough for you, you can order a Little Bit More at Little Giant for $11. Its brand-new Champagne cocktail, created especially for this column, features Three of Strong Merrymeeting spiced rum, which Little Giant likes because it reminds them more of a wintry Maine profile than a Caribbean spice one. It also contains cocoa bitters, cinnamon bitters, brown sugar and – of course – Champagne.

Whatever your preferred Champagne cocktail, I wish you all a Happy New Year.

Angie Bryan is a former diplomat who is enjoying getting acquainted with her new home in Portland, one cocktail at a time.

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