Video about Champagne Cobbler on my YouTube channel.
This Champagne Cobbler is a special dedication to my dear friend Rouslan, an ardent admirer of this classic libation. His passionate enthusiasm prompted me to break my prolonged silence on this delightful subject, and I present this concoction with sheer astonishment.
The Cobbler cocktail family emerged nearly two hundred years ago in the United States. The first of its kind was the Sherry Cobbler, which appeared in the 1830s. As with many cocktails from that era, the exact date of its creation is lost to time. Its earliest known mention was in the diary of British artist Katherine Jane Ellice, who described encountering the drink during a journey through the U.S. on her return from Canada.
But it was Charles Dickens’ novel The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit (published in 1843–44) that brought the Sherry Cobbler international fame. One of the characters in the book reacts to his first cobbler—and the straw it’s served with—saying:: «Martin took the glass with an astonished look; applied his lips to the reed; and cast up his eyes once in ecstasy. He paused no more until the goblet was drained to the last drop.»
As for bartender manuals, the Sherry Cobbler made its first appearance in Jerry Thomas’s 1862 book, The Bartender’s Guide.
The original recipe was:
“-2 wine glasses of sherry
-table-spoonful of sugar
-2 or 3 slices of orange
Fill a tumbler with shaved ice, shake well, and ornament with berries in season. Place a straw as represented in the wood-cut.”
The guide notes: «Like the julep, this delicious potation is an American invention, although it is now a favorite in all warm climates. The “cobbler” does not require much skill in compounding, but to make it acceptable to the eye, as well as to the palate, it is necessary to display the same taste in ornamenting the glass after the beverage is made».
The Cobbler became popular very quickly. Naturally, the desire for variety led to the creation of an entire family of Cobbler cocktails. Already in Jerry Thomas’s 1862 book, in addition to the Sherry Cobbler, there were recipes for the Champagne Cobbler, Claret Cobbler, Sauternes Cobbler, Whiskey Cobbler, Catawba Cobbler, and Hock Cobbler.
To summarize: a Cobbler is a drink made of fruit (which can also be added as juice), a sweetener, and an alcoholic base, all served over crushed ice. From there, it’s up to your imagination.
It’s worth noting that the Cobbler was the cocktail that introduced the straw to drink culture. The reason is simple: first, it’s not always pleasant to press your lips against crushed ice; and second, when a glass is filled to the brim with ice, it’s difficult to finish the drink without spilling it—or the ice—on yourself.
The first cocktail straws were actual straw, usually rye stalks, and sometimes even macaroni. It wasn’t until 1888 that American inventor Marvin Stone patented the paper straw. The idea came to him while drinking a cocktail through a rye straw on a hot day—its grassy aroma ruined the experience. It must be said, he was drinking a julep, not a cobbler.
Ice, by the way, also entered the cocktail world thanks to the Cobbler. The use of ice in drinks started about a decade earlier, but it was the Cobbler that made it popular.
In fact, the name “Cobbler” is derived from the word “cobble”—meaning a rounded stone or fragment—referring to the chunks of ice in the glass. So, it’s no coincidence that the rise of the Cobbler paralleled the availability of ice in bars. Ice wasn’t made in freezers back then—it was harvested naturally.
Both ice and the Cobbler crossed the Atlantic together. In 1845, the Illustrated London News commented on the popularity of ice harvested from Wenham Lake in Massachusetts, which had been shipped to London for over five years. That ice was widely used in the city’s taverns for juleps, cobblers, and other American-originated drinks.
And finally, it’s very likely that the Cobbler brought the shaker into the hands of bartenders—especially the three-piece shaker. After all, it’s no coincidence it’s called the Cobbler shaker.
In Champagne Cobbler, the wine part is represented by sparkling wine.
The oldest Champagne Cobbler recipes include a slice of lemon, a slice of orange, sugar, and sparkling wine.
Despite the name Champagne Cobbler, any sparkling wine can be used. The sweetness level of the wine also depends on personal preference.
I have used Spanish Cava.
The rest—fruit and sweetener—is entirely up to the maker’s taste. Juices are also allowed.
Nowadays, sugar is often replaced with simple syrup, which dissolves more easily in the drink, or by fruit-based liqueurs. I’ve chosen Maraschino.
Traditionally, Cobblers are served over crushed ice. However, for a light sparkling wine, I don’t think this is the best approach—crushed ice melts quickly, diluting the drink and dulling its flavor.
That’s why, for a Champagne Cobbler, I recommend using ice cubes. They melt more slowly, keeping the drink cool without watering it down too much. Frozen fruits, grapes for example, also can be used as ice cubes.
Also traditionally, the ingredients of a Cobbler are shaken in a shaker with ice before serving.
But I don’t like this method when using sparkling wine as it disrupts the bubbles.
So instead, I simply chilled the wine well.
My Champagne Cobbler recipe:
Ingredients:
-1 oz/ 30 ml Maraschino
-Assorted fruits (one glass includes a slice of orange, a strawberry, and a blueberry; the other glass includes two slices of peach, a blackberry, and a blueberry)
-Sparkling wine (my choice is Cava brut, both white and rosé varieties)
Process:
1.Muddle a selection of berries with Maraschino in each glass.
2.Add ice to each glass.
3.Fill each glass with sparkling wine.
Drinkware:
Any tall glass
For those who relish a light, fruity cocktail, feel free to create your ideal version and savor the moment!
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