Creating Cocktails can be really enjoyable, getting to put your ideas inside the glass, creating flavours you can’t always find on the shelf. When creating Cocktails for Glass of Bubbly, it’s normally with a Sparkling Wine and a Spirit of some kind, like Rum or Gin, rarely do I get to create a Cocktail which includes two parts grape.

What is Ratafia Champenois?

We all know that Sparkling Wine is made with grapes, and so is Ratafia. Ratafia Champenois is a sweet (fortified style) wine with a minimum of 110 grams of sugar per litre and alcohol that can range from 16-22% and aged at least 10 months in tanks or oak barrels. It is important to stress, that the sweetness comes from the natural sugar present in the grape must. At the time of pressing the grapes are intended for the production of Champagne, the producer can allocate a part of the must, not exceeding 116 litres for each 4,000kg pressing for the production of Ratafia. The beverage is made with grapes that potentially can be used for the making of Champagne.

The Champagne

I’ve decided to use just one bottle of Champagne, so to put the focus on the Ratafia and see how they express themselves in the Cocktails.

Champagne Alexandre Bonnet is nestled in the far reaches of the Laignes valley, on the beautiful borders of the Côte des Bar between Champagne and Burgundy, with timeless views of their vineyards planted on the rolling hillsides that emerged during the Jurassic period.

Champagne Alexandre Bonnet – Blanc de Noirs – Tasting Notes

Aroma 👃 “Green fruits, floral notes, peach skin and tangerine aromas. “

Flavour 👅 “Green citrus, minerals and red berry flavours.”

This Champagne Won a Gold Medal in the Classic & Elegant Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021.

The Ratafia

I’ve picked three different Ratafia’s to work with, I know that Rataifa Cocktails work, I’m not sure how many different types of Ratafia Cocktails there are, and even more, how many Ratafia and Champagne Cocktails have been created, but we are about to add 3 more to that mix.

Jean Goyard

First up with have Jean Goyard Distillrie with thier Club 1911 Réserve Privilége Ratafia De Champagne.

Tasting Notes – “Creamy roasted nuts, hazelnuts and baked pastry on the aroma. Glazed pastry, chocolate and dried fruits on the flavour.”

A Gold Medal winner at the 2020 Ratafia Champenois Awards from Glass of Bubbly

Didier Herbert

Next with have Didier Herbert with their Soléra De Fut De Chéne Ratafia De Champagne

Tasting Notes – “Soft aromas of toffee apple and prunes. Delicate sweetness, delivered by floral, green fruits and dried prunes in syrup.”

A Gold Medal winner at the 2020 Ratafia Champenois Awards from Glass of Bubbly

Henri Giraud

Lastly, we have Henri Giraud showcasing their Solera Ratafia Champenois S90-13

Tasting Notes – “An inviting creamy hazlenut, herbal, dried apricot nose. Smooth and easy to drink. The perfect ending to a fine meal. Creamy dried apricots, walnut, sweet golden honey with a touch of freshly cut oak.”

A Gold Medal winner at the 2020 Ratafia Champenois Awards from Glass of Bubbly

The Cocktails

We have two ingredients that are essential to our cocktails, the Champagne and the Ratafia, every cocktail will contain these ingredients, but what else is required? Is anything else required? Let’s find out.

The High Roller Cocktail

Ingredients

• Champagne Alexandre Bonnet – Blanc de Noirs
• Jean Goyard Distillrie with thier Club 1911 Réserve Privilége Ratadia De Champagne
• Mint Leaves

How To Make The High Roller Cocktail

1. Pour in 30mls of Ratafia
2. Add in 90mls of Champagne
3. Drop in a couple of Mint Leaves

Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Pastry, oak, mint, chocolate.” Woody mint and white floral

Flavour – “Soft citrus burst with freshly baked pastry, a warming sweetness from syrupy prunes.” Sweet red berries, citrus with a progressing caramel and walnut influence from the ratafia

The Magician’s Secret

Ingredients

• Champagne Alexandre Bonnet – Blanc de Noirs
• Didier Herbert with their Soléra De Fut De Chéne Ratafia De Champagne
• Plum

How To Make The Magician’s Secret

1. Pour in 30mls of Ratafia
2. Add in 90mls of Champagne
3. Drop in a couple of slices of plum

Tasting Notes

Aroma – “A sweet sugary aroma with marzipan spoon cake, plums soaked in sugar and a pastry plum treat combined with burnt oak.”

Flavour – “Faint marzipan, caramel, walnut, sweet citrus, oaky, syrupy taste and pastry on the palate.”

The Straight Shooter

Ingredients

• Champagne Alexandre Bonnet – Blanc de Noirs
• Henri Giraud showcasing their Solera Ratafia Champenois S90-13
• Red Berries

How To Make The Straight Shooter

1. Pour in 30mls of Ratafia
2. Add in 90mls of Champagne
3. Drop in a handful of red berries

Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Red berries take control of the aroma with hints of rose petals, cheesecake and creamy red berries coming through.

Flavour – “A delicate raspberry and blueberry experience, with sweet lemon pulp, syrup and brioche.”

Ratafia and Champagne are both made from grapes, just in two different ways, they complement each other rather than overpowering, and I must say, they work well together.