Wine & Spirits: Oscar Night Libations

by WL Author

On Sunday evening, it really doesn’t matter who wins or loses, as long as the potions are flowing!

By Kelly A. Magyarics

Moët adds sparkle to Oscar night.

Moët adds sparkle to Oscar night.

Awards season is in full swing, though I have to admit that I’m more of a fan of the Golden Globes than the Academy Awards. (I’m pretty sure that has to do with the fact that I love the crazy speeches and off the cuff remarks that ensue when bored celebrities sip from the seemingly endless magnums of Champagne and wine in ice buckets on the tables.) Nonetheless, nothing can beat the glitz, glamour and history of the Oscars.

Whether you are headed out to celebrate at an Oscar viewing party, or just watching (and snarking) from the comfort of your living room, you’ll want something delicious in your glass as you tally up the actors, directors and movies who do win, and those who should win, (Avatar and Inglorious Basterds, I’m talking to you, respectively. Just saying…)

Luckily, French Champagne house Moët & Chandon has your back, and your flute. Moët is the official Champagne of the 82nd Academy Awards, and they are offering a limited edition Cinema Party Pack for $39. Four 187 ml Moët Imperial bottles come packaged in an ice bucket whose lid is decorated like a film canister, complete with a velvet rope handle. And, mini flutes that conveniently fit right inside the neck of the bottle mean no stemware to wash after the big soirée.

Moët & Chandon's Cinema Pack

Moët & Chandon's Cinema Pack

If drinking naked isn’t enough for you (I’m talking about plain Champagne here), mix up a batch of Moët’s “Golden Glamour” cocktail. The sweet and tangy libation, which will be served at Oscar after parties, mixes Moët Imperial with passionfruit juice and Navan, a Cognac infused with Madagascar vanilla. Very cool, very tropical, and way too easy to drink. And though I prefer flutes, the coupe really works with this drink since it’s designed to be a throwback to the age of glamour. If you can’t find Navan or don’t want to spring for a bottle, try replacing it with vanilla flavored vodka, or with the Cognac-based Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur. In a pinch, you could even use simple syrup and a dash of good quality vanilla extract.

The Golden Glamour cocktail is a sophisticated sip for an Oscar gathering.

The Golden Glamour cocktail is a sophisticated sip for an Oscar gathering.

Golden Glamour
Courtesy of Moët & Chandon

4 oz. Moët & Chandon Imperial Champagne
¼ oz. Navan*
1 ½ oz. Passionfruit juice
Mint sprig, for garnish

Add Navan and passionfruit juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, and strain into a chilled Champagne coupe. Top with chilled Champagne, and garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

*Can substitute vanilla flavored vodka or Domaine de Canton, or simple syrup with a dash of good quality vanilla extract.

Kelly Magyarics is a wine and spirits writer, and wine educator, in the Washington, DC area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com, or on www.twitter.com/kmagyarics.

Related Articles