Summer days are made for dining al fresco – and there's no better accompaniment to a barbecue, picnic or garden get-together than a sparkling tipple or two. From Instagrammable Aperol Spritzes to fancy Champagne Margaritas, these fabulous cocktail ideas are sure to go down a treat with guests. You don't need to buy expensive Champagne, either; Prosecco, Cava or any sparkling wine will do the job just fine. Get ready to shake up a storm!
This bright orange apéritif has slightly bitter notes of oranges and herbs, making it a refreshing summer party drink – with no cocktail shaker required. Simply fill a large glass with ice, then add three parts Prosecco, two parts Aperol and one part soda water. A slice of orange is a lovely garnish.
Named after London's Buck's Club in 1921, this cocktail was apparently invented by a barman as an excuse to begin drinking early. It's made by mixing two parts Champagne with one part fresh orange juice. Try it the morning after your garden party if you're in need of a hair of the dog.
Margaritas are fun anyway, but why not add some fizz for something extra? In a cocktail shaker with ice, add 125ml (4fl oz) fresh lime juice, 250ml (9fl oz) tequila and 125 ml triple sec or Cointreau. Shake well. Rub a lime wedge around the edge of your cocktail glasses, and dip in salt. Fill half the glass with the Margarita mix, then top up with sparkling wine.
Similar to a Buck's Fizz, a Mimosa is made with equal quantities of chilled fresh orange juice and sparkling wine. Garnish with a small wedge of fresh orange.
A Sgroppino originates from the Veneto region of Italy. It's halfway between a cocktail and a dessert, so it'd be perfect to serve at the end of a barbecue or al fresco meal. It's very simple – put four scoops of lemon sorbet in a blender, add 125ml (4fl oz) of very cold vodka and 250ml (9fl oz) cold Prosecco, then whizz. Pour into four chilled Champagne flutes, and garnish with a sprig of mint and a slice of fresh lime.
This long drink is incredibly refreshing, with a lovely tang of lime. To serve four, mix 125ml (4fl oz) chilled vodka with the juice of two limes. Divide between glasses, then top up with sparkling wine. Add a sprig of rosemary and a few blackberries as a garnish.
The French 75 packs a real punch. It's named after the French 75 field gun, commonly used in the First World War, and is a combination of gin, lemon and Champagne. You'll need a little sugar syrup too: equal quantities of sugar dissolved in water, then chilled. For two servings, add 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp sugar syrup and 100ml (4fl oz) gin in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, then strain into two glasses. Slowly top up with the fizz, and garnish with a strip of lemon zest.
Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur that's vodka-based, and really tangy – and you'll need to chill it well for this cocktail. The recipe couldn't be easier: fill a third of your glass with limoncello, then top up with Prosecco.
Why Royale, you ask? Because this Pimm's cocktail is topped up with fizz instead of lemonade. Cava works just fine here, as would any dry sparkling wine. To serve four, gently mix 160ml (6fl oz) Pimm's with mint, slices of cucumber and orange. Divide between the glasses, add lots of ice and top up with fizz.
The Hugo cocktail comes from Northern Italy. It's traditionally made with melissa (lemon balm) syrup, but this is hard to find, so you can replace it with elderflower syrup. For two drinks, muddle a few sprigs of mint to draw out the flavour. Divide between two glasses, add 1 tbsp elderflower syrup and slices of fresh lime to each, top up with Prosecco, then add ice. It makes for a light and refreshing tipple.
A combination of dry vermouth topped up with Prosecco and lime, the Martini Royale is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser. You'll need a large wine glass for this one. Squeeze the juice from half a lime into the glass, fill the glass a third of the way up with dry vermouth, then add lots of ice and slices of fresh lime. Top up with Prosecco, and add a sprig of mint.
Said to date back to the mid-1800s, this is reportedly one of the oldest cocktails around, but it's still a winner every time. Chill your glasses – historically, this tipple was always served in a saucer or coupe Champagne glass – then put a sugar cube saturated with Angostura bitters in the base. Add 1 tbsp Cognac, then top up with Champagne or any dry sparkling wine.
This is another classic cocktail, made with crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) and Champagne. Again, any dry sparkling wine will do the job. You don't want it to be too sweet, so just add 2 tsp to the base of your Champagne flutes, then top up with fizz. Crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur) is another really lovely option, as is raspberry liqueur, like Chambord.
This classic was invented by Giuseppe Cipriani, the founder of Harry's Bar in Venice. To make it, you can either use ripe peaches or a pouch of peach purée – it'll taste great, whichever option you choose. It consists of one part peach purée to two parts Prosecco.
You can use apple juice for this cocktail, but it will have more wow factor if you use dry apple cider. Fill a flute a third of the way up with cider or juice, then top up with sparkling wine. For an easy garnished rim, could also dip your flutes in water, then into a mixture of ground cinnamon and sugar (twice the amount of sugar to cinnamon). Serve with a slice of apple dipped in lemon juice.
A fun cocktail-meets-dessert to serve after dinner, raspberry sorbet floats are short and sweet, and will put a spring in your step. Put 1-2 tsp raspberry liqueur into a glass, add a scoop of raspberry sorbet, then top with sparkling wine and a sprig of mint. If you have fresh (or frozen and defrosted) raspberries, add a few to serve.
You'll need fresh watermelon juice for this refreshing cocktail, which essentially consists of ripe fruit whizzed in a blender then passed through a sieve. For one bottle of bubbly, you'll need around half a medium watermelon. Add the juice of three limes to the watermelon juice, then fill each glass halfway with fizz. Slowly top up with the watermelon and lime juice, and add a slice of fresh lime to garnish.
Pomegranate juice infused with rosemary is mixed with bubbly to make this fruity cocktail. Our recipe uses alcohol-free fizz, but just replace it with sparkling wine for a boozy version.
Get the recipe for the rosemary and pomegranate fizz cocktail here
Inject a shot of bright colour into your drinks with this eye-catching (and delicious) cocktail recipe. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, mix 125ml (4fl oz) each of vodka and blue curaçao (a citrussy liqueur) with the juice of a lemon. Shake well. Put around 2 tbsp into your glasses, then top up with sparkling wine. This will make around eight glasses, depending on your glass size.
Fruity, summery and pleasantly refreshing, sloe gin pairs perfectly with a splash of fizz. Simply add 2 tbsp sloe gin to a glass, squeeze in some fresh lime, then top up with sparkling wine. Finish off with a sprig of rosemary and a slice of lime to serve.
A dash of gin with elderflower cordial, topped up with fizz, is a lovely mixture. In a large wine glass, add 2 tbsp gin, 2 tsp elderflower cordial, a squeeze of lime and plenty of ice, then simply top up with dry sparkling wine.
Take a look at these simple appetisers to go with your drinks
Nothing says 'summer' like this delightfully British cocktail. Just pour Prosecco and rose lemonade over a generous amount of ice, and stir well. Finish with plenty of strawberries for an irresistibly light and refreshing drink.
Similar to an Aperol Spritz, but with more bitter notes, a Campari Spritz is really easy to make. Fill a third of your glass with Campari and ice, add the same quantity of Prosecco, then top up with soda water. Add a slice of orange and a sprig of rosemary, et voilà!
The Black Velvet was created by the bartender of Brooks's Club in London in 1861, to mourn the death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's Prince Consort. The colour was supposed to represent the black armbands worn by mourners. It is simply stout (usually Guinness) mixed with equal quantities of Champagne, but sparkling wine will work well too.
This crowd-pleasing cocktail couldn't be simpler. Mix equal quantities of chilled rosé and sparkling wine together, then pour into tumblers or flutes. Add a slice of orange and raspberries and a few sprigs of mint for garnish, if you have some.
A Tintoretto cocktail is a twist on a Bellini. Instead of peach, add one part pomegranate juice to two parts Prosecco – and for a final flourish, add a sprig of mint and some fresh pomegranate seeds.