I’m a member of Treveri Cellars’s Bubble Club. It’s something my brother Korey thinks I should keep to myself. It probably doesn’t help that I say it with a country twang (ala Travis Tritt) as in–

I’m a member of the Bubble Club,
Sparkling wine is what I love.

Being part of the Bubble Club simply means that every couple of months I have two bottles of gorgeous, sparkling wine waiting for me.  The wines are perfect on their own. And they’re also fun to use for sparkling cocktails–like this Blackberry Lemon Sparkler I made the other day. It’s a great cocktail for the holidays! Make the blackberry puree ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator or freezer.

Basic Berry Puree Recipe

• 12 ounces (approximately 1 1/2 cups) fresh or frozen berries, (defrosted if frozen)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1. Sort and wash berries. Drain, cap, and stem (or thaw if frozen) unsweetened berries.
2. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice; process to a smooth puree, about 30 seconds. NOTE: Pureeing may be done in a blender or a food processor, but if using a blender, make sure that any seeds are not ground so finely that they will pass through the sieve.
3. Pour into a fine sieve set over a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir and press the puree through the sieve; discard solids.
4. Taste and add more sugar if necessary. Refrigerate in a non-reactive container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Yield approximately 1 cup of finished puree.

Blackberry Lemon Sparkler

• 1 sugar cube
• 1 squeeze of lemon (about 1/2 tsp)
• 1 oz. blackberry puree
• Sparkling white wine

1. Wet the top of a champagne glass with a slice of lemon, dip in sugar
2. Add sugar cube to bottom of glass
3. Squeeze lemon wedge into glass
4. Add blackberry puree
5. Top with sparkling white wine
6. Enjoy!

Cheers & Happy Holidays!