I have always loved sweet wines (sauternes, muscats, ice wines) and years ago when my mother introduced me to the French aperitif Lillet, a sweet fortified wine generally served on the rocks with a twist of orange, it became my new favorite drink… Made famous by James Bond’s “Vesper” martini, Lillet holds fresh in the refrigerator for ages, making a perfect single-glass solution to a long day, or an additional component to another cocktail.  This one is great because it utilizes ingredients I almost always have on hand, plus a festive bottle of bubbly generously brought by guests.  When inviting friends for a dinner party, they often ask what kind of wine will complement the food, and I’m never afraid to request...  Champagne pairs beautifully with almost any dish, so if there is any left after cocktails, just keep enjoying it with the meal.

Difficulty:

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Makes 6 cocktails

Ingredients:

6 orange segments (half an orange)

6 plushes fresh mint (or 2 leaves per cocktail)

6 oz. Lillet, chilled

1 (750ml) bottle champagne, chilled

Technique:

•Distribute the orange segments and mint plushes to each champagne flute.  Add 1 ounce of Lillet per glass and top off with 4 ounces of champagne.