Sparkling Wine

A beautiful and elegant dessert that has lots of great berry flavor.

This drink is sometimes called Champagne Velvet, and in certain quarters is known as the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Shandygaff, a fine euphoric title.

Passion-Fruit Champagne Cocktail

This drink is sometimes known as a Napoleon.

Variant: King's Peg (Napoleon)

Cranberries are cultivated in Canada, and tradition there calls for hosts to make a punch for Christmas guests. Here, the crop and the custom merge in a delightful champagne cocktail, which takes a French turn with the addition of crème de cassis.

Accompanied by Champagne, this beautiful and delicious appetizer starts the meal on a sophisticated note.

CHAMPAGNE A dish that's refined yet spirited, much like the bubbly that has made the region so celebrated. For a first course, serve steamed leeks bathed in a simple vinaigrette. What to drink: Champagne, of course.

We thought we would update the popular Cosmopolitan by substituting Champagne for the usual lemon vodka. We garnished the drinks with skewers of sugar-coated fresh cranberries (thawed frozen ones will work just fine, too).

Kir royale, the French aperitif of Champagne with a splash of cassis, becomes a sophisticated sorbet or granita. If you have them, Champagne coupes or martini glasses make elegant servers.