The Champagne Cocktail Playbook Every Bartender Should Steal

Let’s be honest. The holidays and New Year’s Eve are basically a sea of bubbles. Everyone wants champagne, but not everyone wants the same old glass of champagne.

That is where tequila steps in, taps champagne on the shoulder, and says, “Move over, I’ve got something to add.”

These champagne cocktails, built around bubbles, tequila, and a little liquid optimism, are quietly stealing the spotlight in bars around the world. Think of them as champagne dressed up for a night out in Altos de Jalisco.

Here are the ones worth pouring.

Chamquila: When Less Does More

This is proof that simplicity, when done right, speaks louder than fireworks.

Chamquila is what happens when tequila and champagne stop overthinking things and simply trust each other. Clean. Sharp. Elegant. Like a perfectly tailored suit, no accessories required.

Ingredients

• 30 ml Altos Plata
• MUMM Champagne
  
  

Method

1. Pour Altos Plata into a flute.
2. Top with MUMM Champagne.
3. That’s it. Do not blink or you might miss the magic.

Buena Natale

Some cocktails feel like a conversation between two cultures. Buena Natale feels like a love letter.

Here, two obsessions come together: wine and spirits, allowed to flirt freely. Champagne brings elegance, tequila brings soul, and Italicus is the subtle whisper that makes the whole thing unforgettable.

Think herbal, aromatic, and softly sweet. This one does not shout. It leans in.

Ingredients

• 30 ml Altos Plata
• A few drops of Italicus
• MUMM Champagne
  
  

Method

1. Add Altos Plata to a flute.
2. Finish with a few drops of Italicus.
3. Top with MUMM Champagne and let it breathe.

Tequila Mimosa: Same Celebration, Better Juice

Let’s upgrade the brunch classic.

This is a Mimosa that went on vacation to Altos de Jalisco and never came back. Orange juice steps aside for fresh grapefruit, brighter, drier, and more grown-up, while Altos Plata does what it does best.

Bubbles, agave, and citrus make for an instant celebration.

Ingredients

• 30 ml Altos Plata
• 30 ml fresh grapefruit juice
• MUMM Champagne
• Grapefruit peel, for garnish
  
  

Method

1. Add tequila and grapefruit juice to a flute.
2. Top with MUMM Champagne.
3. Garnish and enjoy responsibly, or not.

Champagne Margarita

By Dré Masso
@dremasso

This one has history and heart.

Dré Masso took the soul of the Tommy’s Margarita, the one every bartender respects, and gave it a champagne finish for the holidays. The result feels familiar, elevated, and quietly emotional.

This cocktail does not forget where it comes from. It just puts on a better jacket.

Ingredients

• 30 ml Altos Reposado
• 20 ml fresh lime juice
• 20 ml sage-infused agave syrup*
• 20 ml pear purée
• 30 ml MUMM Champagne
  
  

*Sage-Infused Agave Syrup

1. Combine 300 ml organic agave syrup with 150 ml water and 10 sage leaves.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Cool, strain, and bottle.
   
   

Method

1. Shake the first four ingredients with ice.
2. Fine strain into a chilled coupe.
3. Top with MUMM Champagne.
4. Garnish with a fresh sage leaf.

Paloma Royale

By Simon Kistenfeger
@the_real_vikingo

If the Paloma grew up, booked a table, and ordered champagne, this would be it.

Paloma Royale keeps the grapefruit brightness but trades sweetness for elegance. The champagne lift dries everything out, sharpens the edges, and makes this dangerously drinkable.

Holiday-approved. Bartender-approved.

Ingredients

• 50 ml Altos Plata
• 25 ml fresh lemon juice
• 15 ml agave syrup (1:1)
• 30 ml fresh grapefruit juice
• 30 ml MUMM Champagne
• Rosemary twig, for garnish
  
  

Method

1. Shake everything except the champagne with ice.
2. Serve in a tall glass.
3. Top with MUMM Champagne.
4. Garnish with grapefruit and rosemary.

Final Sip

Champagne does not replace tequila. Tequila does not overpower champagne. Together, they create something more interesting. Cocktails that feel festive without being predictable, celebratory without being boring.

And if 2026 needs a secret ingredient, let it be better drinks.