What is a French 75?

The French 75 is a classic cocktail consisting of gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice, which is shaken with ice, strained, then topped with Champagne. It dates back to World War I when it was created by Harry MacElhone at the New York Bar (now known as Harry’s New York Bar), which he owned and operated in Paris. Due to its strong alcohol content, it was said that drinking one of these was like getting hit by a French 75 mm field gun, giving this iconic cocktail its well-deserved name. Like with any other cocktail, the French 75 has some variations. The French 125 replaces the gin with cognac and the lesser-known French 95 uses bourbon as its base spirit. However, with the simplicity of ingredients, the French 75 is the perfect opportunity to get creative.The addition of flavoured syrups, muddled fruit, or even infused spirits are ways to make this iconic cocktail your own.

Coupe or Flute?

When making a French 75, there are generally two choices for glassware: the coupe or the flute. The coupe is a shallow, bowl-shaped glass with a stem, rumoured to have been modeled after Marie Antoinette’s breasts. However, this origin story is most likely false. Though less scandalous and sexy, the more likely origins of the coupe are that it was designed by an English monk in the 17^th century as glass was gaining popularity over metal as the material of choice for drinking vessels. By the 18^th century, the coupe was the glass of choice for sparkling wine; and it continued this way until the later half of the 20th century when the iconic flute tookover. The shallow, bowl shape of the coupe is said to spread the bubbles in sparkling wine out more, causing them to diffuse sooner. The larger surface area can also make the drink inside warm up faster, making it more susceptible to the temperature of the drinker’s hand. Meanwhile, the elongated shape of the flute provides less opportunity for the bubbles to spread out, which is said to keep your sparkling wine effervescent for a longer period of time. Additionally, the depth of the glass is said to keep the drink cooler longer because there is less contact with your hand. However, the elegance of the coupe makes it a popular choice among bartenders for many cocktails beyond sparkling wine. Many recipes (several of ours included) for cocktails served "up" (or without ice) such as the Bee’s Knees, the Sidecar, and the Daquiri call for a chilled coupe glass as the vessel. So, when choosing a glass for your French 75, the coupe and the flute are both excellent choices, making it more a matter of presentation and preference than taste. We’ve used both when making French 75s and haven’t noticed any massive changes to longevity or flavour. As long as both your cocktail and glassware are sufficiently chilled before serving, you can sip on your bubbles worry-free.

Champagne

Champagne is a sparkling wine, which originates from the Champagne region of Fance. While the word “Champagne” is used by many to describe any sparkling wine, Champagne is protected under European law and must meet very specific criteria to be labelled as such. To be considered Champagne, a wine must:

• Be produced in the Champagne region of France
• Be made from Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, or Pinot Noir grapes grown in the Champagne region
• Be made using the traditional Méthode Champenoise, which uses a secondary fermentation to achieve carbonation
• Be aged for a minimum of 15 months
• Be bottled within 100 miles of the Champagne region

So, simply put, all Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is champagne.

You might notice that while the original French 75 recipe calls for Champagne, our recipes for the Festive 75 and any other French 75 variations call for sparkling wine. This is because while Champagne is undoubtedly delicious, it can also be very expensive, making it an impractical choice for many to use in a cocktail. And while we think some things are worth splurging on, we also think that a more affordable option like cava or prosecco doesn’t make too much of a difference. This might make some purists angry or start saying you’re not making a “real” French 75, but that’s okay. What matters is that you (and your wallet) are happy and that’s it.

How to Make It

Make the Syrup

In a small saucepan, bring your water to a boil. Add the sugar, cranberries (fresh and frozen both work), and rosemary, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and set aside the saucepan to cool. Allow the syrup to cool completely before straining out the solids. The syrup should last 2-4 weeks in the fridge and can be used in a variety of cocktails for your holiday gatherings.

Shake it Up

Add the gin, cranberry rosemary syrup, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until it is well-chilled, then strain into a chilled coupe or flute.

Now the Bubbles

Top the cocktail with your sparkling wine of choice. We used a prosecco, but other options like cava or Crémant will work as well. There should be a little space at the top of the glass still. However, if you are using a larger glass, things can get out of hand quickly, so make sure you’re only using about 2-3 ounces of sparkling wine.

Now, garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary and enjoy!

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