New Year's is my favorite time of year, and Champagne is my favorite drink. So it's no surprise that when I came across a recipe for Champagne cupcakes last week, I nearly jumped out of my seat with excitement. These cupcakes have Champagne in the batter, in the pastry cream filling, and in the buttercream frosting. How much more exciting can this dessert get? There are quite a few steps Read more

The next time you've got a handful of ripe peaches that need to be consumed, use them to make bellinis. The Italian cocktail that originated in Harry's Bar in Venice combines sparkling wine with peach puree. Traditionally the peaches are white peaches, but it works well with any in-season variety. Although I love the classic bellini, it's fun to jazz it up. One way I like to do that is with the Read more

Ever since I was pleasantly surprised by Yellow Tail's latest wine, a well-priced Australian Moscato, the muscat grape has assumed the role of flavor of the month. Call it coincidence, but a few days later, I sampled Presto Moscato Dolce and fell hard for its flavor profile. This Italian bottling isn't nearly as sweet (nor has the same intensity) as its Yellow Tail counterpart. Rather, it greets Read more

There's no better hair of the dog after a long night out than brunch filled with bottomless mimosas. But if you've grown weary of that mundane combination of orange juice and bubbly, switch up your drinking routine with another Champagne cocktail that's twice as exciting to sip, but just about as easy to prepare. The Jalisco Flower is a combination of ruby red grapefruit juice and sparkling wine Read more

At a viewing party for The Bachelorette last night, I was surprised to learn that many of the ladies in attendance don't like to open champagne. "It's scary," a friend said. "I'm afraid I'm going to hit someone in the eye!" another chimed in. Since I've opened more bottles of sparkling wine than I can count, I'm living proof that it's a safe act to perform on a regular basis. In fact, it's a task Read more

When it comes to brunch drinks, there's nothing like a mimosa, but if you have them on a regular basis (like I do!) for a special occasion such as Easter, it's nice to change things up. My favorite new libation is this amazing cocktail that combines limoncello with mint, lemon juice, and sparkling wine. There's a little bit of work involved because you puree the mint, lemon peel, and limoncello Read more