Helpful tips

• If you’re making just a few cocktails, pick up the small bottles of champagne—they’re perfect for single servings and prevent waste. Save the full-size bottles for a crowd or if you plan to enjoy the rest.
• For a more personal touch, you can infuse your own raspberry vodka. Just plan ahead—it takes about 5 days for the vodka to develop a rich, fruity flavor.
• I prefer to use Chambord black raspberry liqueur, but feel free to substitute it with another brand you enjoy.
• I always recommend unsweetened cranberry juice so you can control the sweetness of the drink. If you can’t find it, use a lighter hand with the grenadine—about one teaspoon per cocktail—or skip the grenadine entirely.
• Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, except for the champagne. Shake the rest, then gently stir in the champagne with a cocktail spoon to preserve its bubbles before pouring into glasses.
• For garnish, I opt for bright red maraschino cherries instead of my favorite Luxardo cherries, so the color complements the cocktail.
• Want to make it extra festive? Try a red sugar rim. Wet the rim of each glass with simple syrup, dip it into a shallow plate of red sugar for an even coat, tap off the excess, and set aside to dry before serving.