What better way to celebrate the end of Dry January than with champagne. We trialled a number of them at our September team night and here are our favourite 5. If you’re hosting a drinks party, we think your guests will love them (and they’re fun and easy to make!). Prosecco and cava can be used in place of champagne if you prefer.

  • Spiced Orange Champagne Punch
    Heat 250ml orange juice, 3 tbsp sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks and 2 star anise over a low heat for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and pour into each glass until 1/3 full. Top with champagne 

 

  • Classic French 75
    Using a zester, slice the lemon peel in spirals. Create a syrup by heating 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp water together. Mix 2 tbsp gin, 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake. Strain over a champagne flute and top with champagne. Add the lemon peel and some raspberries

 

  • Christmas Pomegranate Cocktail
    Blend 2 packets of pomegranate seeds in a blender. Pour through a sieve and collect the juice. Fill the glass by a third with pomegranate juice and top up with champagne. Decorate with a couple of blueberries

 

  • Cherry and Thyme Champagne Cocktail
    Drain the juice from a jar of cherries into a saucepan. Simmer the juice and a few sprigs of thyme over a low heat for 5 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool. Pour the juice over the cherries, put 2 tbsp of juice into each glass and add a cherry. Fill the rest of the glass with champagne and add a sprig of thyme to garnish

 

  • Festive Bellini
    Heat 1 packet of fresh cranberries over a low heat, add 1 tbsp of caster sugar (add more if you want it sweeter) to create a paste-like consistency. Allow to cool and put 1-2 teaspoons into each glass. Add champagne to fill the glass and stir carefully