Pop, Fizz, Clink

The sound of popping corks is a hallmark of the holiday season.

Even if you aren’t springing for the good stuff, you can still add a little oomph to your glass. With that in mind, we turned to Todd Thrasher—sommelier, mixologist, and head of several Washington DC-area bars, including the LINE hotel’s Brothers and Sisters—to jazz up our champagne toasts.

When mixing with bubbly, Thrasher taps Virginia FIZZ, a sparkling wine made with chardonnay grapes from Charlottesville-based Thibaut-Jannison Winery. “It’s a little sweeter, so it’s made for cocktails,” he says of the wine’s residual sugar content and fruit-forward flavors. (And when searching for mix-worthy bubbles, skip the cheapest bottle— quality ingredients make for a good cocktail.) Thrasher’s take on the classic champagne cocktail even involves some pyrotechnics, just the thing to impress your guests this New Year’s Eve.