The Most Festive (And Budget-Friendly) Way To Add Fizz To Your Christmas Punch

Nothing says Christmas like a flavorful festive punch — and that's especially true if it's a special sparkling concoction. But before you splash out on copious Champagne, it's worth trying an alternative according to Claire Marin, the owner and head distiller at Catskill Provisions Distillery, makers of Pollinator Spirits. "I'm one for cava as it's drier than prosecco and easier on the pocketbook than Champagne," she told Food Republic.

While cava is different from Champagne, since the two use different grapes, they are actually produced in a similar way. Champagne is made in the Méthode Champenoise, and cava also follows this traditional method, which means in both cases that the second fermentation takes place in the bottle, unlike prosecco where it takes place in a tank. The result is that Spanish cava and French Champagne have smaller, stronger bubbles than their Italian counterpart — and this works beautifully in a punch where they are robust enough to handle an array of different ingredients such as spirits, juices, or mixers. Not only that, those bubbles last longer without going flat — perfect for a party.

Another key advantage of cava over Champagne is the price, as it's often much more affordable in larger quantities when making batch cocktails for a party, including big bowls of punch. "There are really great options in this category," said Marin — which means you can easily choose a sparkler to rival Champagne for a price to suit your budget.

You can use cava as a direct switch for Champagne when making classic cocktails since it can be used in the same quantities and adds a similar complexity, and punch is no exception. Just make sure to pick a cava labelled "brut" to get the same delicious dryness — one of the key things that makes it such a good choice according to drinks expert Claire Marin. 

This light, dry quality helps cava to blend better with sweeter juices and fruits than prosecco does since the Italian fizz is already often sweeter and fruitier than the Spanish sparkling wine. This means it can be easier to create a well-balanced punch, no matter what ingredients you're mixing up. 

For a vibrantly red-colored and perfectly crisp Christmas punch, try mixing a couple of bottles of cava with fruity Chambord liqueur and sweet-sharp cranberry juice. Combine sparkling cava with chilled vodka, slices of beautiful blood oranges, and your choice of berries for a drink that tastes as good as it looks. Or whip up a simple sangria-style punch by mixing cava with white grape juice and diced fruit.

Though cava retains its bubbles well, you may still wish to add the sparkling wine right before serving — this rule you shouldn't break when preparing fizzy batch cocktails will help to keep the party punch perky. Just keep it chilled until you're ready to add the final fizzy flourish.