Champagne with Fruits

Chill the champagne: place the bottle in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving (optimal temperature 6–8°C). If you're short on time, place the bottle in a bucket with ice and cold water for 20–30 minutes — the bottle should feel cold to the touch and not slightly frozen.

Wash and dry the fruits: place the strawberries and raspberries in a colander and rinse under cold running water for about 10–15 seconds. Transfer the fruits to a paper towel and gently pat dry to avoid damaging the raspberries. Remove the stems from the strawberries and cut larger strawberries in half or quarters so that the total volume of the fruits corresponds to the specified 200 g of strawberries and 150 g of raspberries.

Prepare the orange: cut the orange in half. Slice one half into thin half-rings (about 4–6 mm) and set aside 6–8 slices for decoration. Squeeze the juice from the other half into a measuring cup – we need about 30 ml (about 30 g) of juice. Set the sliced pieces and juice aside separately.

If you want to sweeten the drink: prepare a simple syrup. In a small saucepan, add 50 g of sugar and pour in 50 ml of water. Heat over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar completely dissolves (2–3 minutes). When the syrup starts to simmer lightly, reduce the heat and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (about 10–15 minutes).

Fruit maceration: place the prepared strawberries, raspberries, and orange slices into a large pitcher or bowl. Add the freshly squeezed orange juice (the remaining juice). If you are using syrup, add 1–2 tablespoons (about 15–30 g of syrup) to the fruit. Gently mix with a spoon, then set aside for 10–15 minutes to allow the fruit to release its juice and the flavors to meld. After 10–15 minutes, there should be a slightly sweet juice in the bowl — this is a sign that the maceration was successful.

Pouring champagne: just before serving, set up 6 flute glasses. Evenly distribute the fruits from the pitcher at the bottom of each glass (about 50–60 g of fruit per glass). Tilt the glass at an angle of about 45° and slowly pour the champagne along the inside of the glass — this will help avoid excessive foaming. Fill the glasses to about 2/3 full to leave room for bubbles and garnish.

Decoration and serving: place 1 slice of orange on the rim of each glass and add 1-2 mint leaves (if using). Serve immediately — the drink tastes best fresh when the bubbles are intense.

Note: do not stir the drink vigorously after adding the champagne — excessive stirring will destroy the bubbles. If you are preparing a larger quantity in a pitcher, gradually add the champagne to the pitcher just before serving to avoid losing the fizz.