This clementine rosemary champagne cocktail combines bright citrus flavors with fresh rosemary. Delicious and gorgeous!
It’s Friday! Who’s ready for a cocktail? That was a rhetorical question…I know the answer is, “ME!” for every single person reading this blog. So how about a Clementine Rosemary Champagne Cocktail?
I have something pretty fun to share with you today – I am part of a cocktail contest! Veuve Ambal and Hella Bitter invited me to join their Bubbles, Bitters and Blogs contest – so of course I said YES PLEASE!!
So, a little more about the contest. The team at ABLE, a marketing agency in NYC, sent me two bottles of Veuve Ambal and two bottles of Hella Bitters (aromatic and citrus flavors) and tasked me with creating a cocktail. Their team will choose the top 3 cocktails, and the winning recipes will be served at a party on March 27! I hope I win – how fun would it be to see a Chez CateyLou creation served at a fancy NYC party?!
Because TheBetterHalf is more of a cocktail expert than I am (actually, he’s just more of a cocktail drinker than I am), I sought out his assistance in creating my concoction. We knew we wanted to incorporate citrus and some fresh herbs. We’ve been seeing a lot of herbs in cocktails lately and really enjoy the fresh flavor they bring to drinks.
At his insistence, we did a lot of taste testing (probably too much!). But after our arduous testing process, we really loved the combination of orange and rosemary. And so our Clementine Rosemary Champagne Cocktail was born!
The tartness and bright citrus flavor from the clementine juice pairs so well with the sweet and herbaceous rosemary simple syrup. The aromatic bitters adds a subtle yet complex and interesting flavor. The vodka gives the cocktail a bit of a kick, and the bubbly champagne ties the whole thing together. This drink tastes amazing and looks so pretty!
Let’s talk for a minute about the glasses I used. I really wanted to serve my cocktail in a classic champagne coupe. These glasses are the new big thing at restaurants and bars (at least in NYC!) – I swear every other cocktail is served in one of these glasses. So I figured that they must be sold everywhere, right? Wrong.
I went on a wild goose chase around NYC trying to find these glasses (remember my search for Kabocha Squash? this felt very similar). I went to every home goods / kitchen store on the Upper East Side. I went to several downtown too. I even went to some restaurant supply stores in Chinatown!! (Although that was only because they were close to Uncle Boons…). Nothing. No luck.
After I had given up all hope, I passed a liquor store 3 blocks from my apartment. And guess what they had in the window….Champagne Coupes! In two different sizes! And, they were for sale! Victory.
And yes, I’m aware they sell these glasses online, but I wanted to make the drinks the next day! Should have planned that one better.
But it was totally worth the search, because I think these clementine rosemary champagne cocktails look pretty darn great in these glasses! And they taste even better. A fancy cocktail served in a classic glass? I feel like I’m in an episode of Mad Men.
Disclosure: I was provided with Veuve Ambal champagne and Hella Bitter bitters by ABLE social to create a recipe. All opinions are my own.
This clementine rosemary champagne cocktail combines bright citrus flavors with fresh rosemary. Delicious and gorgeous!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 5 sprigs rosemary
- 2 tablespoons fresh clementine juice
- 1.5 tablespoons rosemary simple syrup
- 1.5 oz vodka
- 4 dashes aromatic bitters (I used Hella Bitters)
- 1.5 oz champagne (I used Veuve Ambal Brut)
- Ice, for shaking
Instructions
- Stir the sugar into the water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil until the sugar is dissolved. Take off the heat, and add the rosemary. Let it sit for 30 minutes, then remove rosemary.
- Put the clementine juice, simple syrup, and vodka in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, then shake until all ingredients are mixed together and are cold.
- Put 4 dashes bitters in a champagne coupe and swirl around the glass.
- Strain the clementine mixture into the glass. Top with champagne. Garnish with a clementine rind twist and a sprig of rosemary.
Notes
Can easily double this recipe for 2 cocktails.
Vodka not your thing but you still want a cocktail? I have you covered!
Tequila: Pineapple Mint Tequila Mojito
Rum: Thanksgiving Punch
This is a beautiful looking cocktail! And I so appreciate you and TheBetterHalf arduously testing these cocktails over and over again for us. It must have been soooooo tough to keep trying different drinks, hahaha!
And you are right… I’ve been seeing those glasses everywhere lately!
Thanks, Chris! It was a tough job, but someone has to do it
This sounds amazing!
Thanks, Chloe!
You guys make amazing cocktails!! Cate I’m a cocktail girl and love trying new flavors. I’ve been loving the fresh herbs popping up in bars lately but I’ve never tried one with citrus and rosemary. Love this unique combination!! I think you two need to start a cocktail series on the blog
Thank you so much, Zainab! I really like the idea of a cocktail series! We love trying new combos, and it is really fun to photograph drinks instead of food sometimes!
I most definitely needed a cocktail last night, Cate, on a pretty stressful evening (all solved now!!) I’m intrigued by the idea of clementine with a dash of rosemary … sounds lovely! As for your glasses hunt, I totally sympathise. I was hunting for a simple butternut squash last night and this morning and of course .. no luck! Have a great weekend!
Glad your stressful situation is solved, Helen! You definitely deserve a cocktail!! So frustrating when you can’t find the one thing you are searching for – I feel like it happens to me way too often!
What a great cocktail this would be at brunch. It is visually gorgeous!. You have my vote – good luck !
Thanks, Sue! You are right – this would be a perfect brunch cocktail!
Absolutely gorgeous cocktail, Cate! The photos are so pretty. I love herbs in cocktails too and fresh fruit. The combination of ingredients sounds perfect for this time of year! I hope you win the contest! You’d get my vote for sure 😉
Thanks, Allie!! It would be awesome to win, although the creating itself was pretty fun!
Ooo these look great! I’m not much of a drinker but I would love to give these a try and I really hope you win
Thanks, Connie!! We could turn these into a virgin drink for you, no problem!
beautiful – love the photos. I love a good champagne cocktail x
Thanks, Trisha! Champagne cocktails are so fun!
This champagne cocktail sounds delicious Cate! I had a rosemary infused cocktail at a wedding once and thought it was such a great idea! Thanks for reminding me! Is it wrong that it’s Monday morning and I totally want one of these right now? Ha!
Natalie, this would have made my Monday morning a lot better!! I really love the rosemary simple syrup – I will definitely be making this one again!
It’s Monday and that’s reason enough to indulge in this pretty drink. It looks so refreshing.
Love the glasses!
Thanks, Tina!! The glasses were worth the challenge!
Wow, I never would have thought to combine clementines and rosemary, but after reading your post, I can totally imagine how the flavors would complement each other quite nicely! I’ll have to give this a try. Good luck with the contest!
This looks like the perfect spring/summer cocktail!! It looks quite refreshing. Sign me up!!!! Good luck in the contest!
Thanks, Renee! It is so refreshing – you are right!!
I’ve been finding great deals on cocktail glasses (including coupes) at thrift stores lately. Not only are they inexpensive but they make drinking even more fun.
Your cocktail sounds perfect for spring and summer when fresh rosemary is all around.
I’m going to have to search the thrift stores, Jessica! Great idea! Thanks for stopping by