Say goodbye to 2016 and vow to be the change in 2017 with this golden, spirited Lunetta Prosecco sparkling wine cocktail.
Champagne or sparkling wine cocktails are easy to make and are, generally, delicate and fruity. Prosecco and sparkling wines are often used in “champagne” cocktails and may even be what’s in your glass for the traditional New Years toast. Looking back on 2016 and contemplating what lies ahead in 2017, I decided to concoct a more spirited version of a sparkling wine cocktail: La Bella Luna enhances the sweet honey and fruit of Cavit Lunetta Prosecco, a sparkling wine from Trentino in Northeastern Italy, with pear liqueur and balances the sweetness with the herbal complexity and bitterness of Fernet Branca resulting in a complex, yet uncomplicated cocktail. A thinly sliced round of Asian pear completes the golden elixir with a refreshing edible garnish.
What exactly is Prosecco? Prosecco is Italy’s famous version of sparkling wine (the type of wine made famous by Champagne). Cavit Lunetta Prosecco comes from the Trentino region of Northeast Italy and, like Cava from Spain, Italian Prosecco is a budget-friendly option to French Champagne.
Lunetta translates to “Little Moon” in Italian and celebrates life’s small pleasures. The grapes are handpicked and vinified at Cavit’s state-of-the-art sparkling wine facility in the northern Italian region of Trentino, dedicated exclusively to producing world-class sparkling wines. Prosecco is fermented by a process known as the Charmat method and, unlike Champagne, there is no aging time. The Charmat process is particularly suited to producing sparkling wine whose most important characteristic is freshness.
Sparkling wines can be enjoyed as you would champagne and Lunetta Prosecco presents enticing aromas of apple and peach give way to a palate that is refreshing, and harmonious, with crisp fruit flavors and a clean finish. (Tasting notes from wine.com). Retailing for under $20, Lunetta Prosecco’s sassy effervescence makes it appropriate for an intimate night à deux or a wild New Year’s Bash as well as a lovely base for any sparkling wine cocktail.
- Ice
- 1.5 ounce Mathilde Poire pear liqueur
- 1/2 ounce Fernet Branca
- 1.5 to 2 ounces Lunetta Prosecco depending on glass
- Garnish: 1 thinly sliced Asian pear round
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Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the Poire liqueur and Fernet Branca, shake well and strain into a Champagne coupe or flute. Top with the Lunetta Prosecco and garnish with the Asian pear round.
Waving good bye and good riddance to 2016, a damnable year for music fans that began with the death of David Bowie on January 10th and continued to assault us month after month with news of the passing of Glen Frey, Paul Katner, Maurice White, Dan Hicks, Keith Emerson, Merle Haggard, Prince, Ralph Stanley, Pete Fountain, Leonard Cohen, Leon Russell and many others {read more at Arts Year in Review}. Ending with what we thought was the final blow (until the news of Carrie Fisher) – George Michael – departing this Earth on Christmas Day, his catchy refrain “you gotta have faith, faith, faith” stuck in our heads as we face 2017 and the era of Trump.
About Fernet Branca: Fernet has been produced according to a secret family prescription at the Fratelli Branca Distillery in Milan since 1845. Over forty aromatic herbs, blossoms and spices such as enzian, safron, myrrh and camomile are used in its production. Traditionally served straight up at the end of a meal, it aids in digestion and cleanses the palate. In recent years, Fernet has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity as cocktail chefs embrace the bracing liqueur’s herbal complexity and bitterness as an ingredient in handcrafted cocktails.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Cavit Lunetta Prosecco in collaboration with Honest Cooking where I am a contributing writer. As always, opinions expressed are my own.
I’ve been enjoying Cavit’s Pinot Grigio, but now I must try their Lunetta Proseco—as your La Bella Luna looks spectacular. Happy New Year, Priscilla!