Light up your night with the Cranberry Vanilla Sparkler! This holiday cocktail is made with Domaine Carneros Estate Brut Cuvée, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, and vanilla bean for a bold, bubbly, and balanced refreshment. 

I partnered with Domaine Carneros to mix up this Cranberry Vanilla Sparkler recipe! Recipe and ideas are my own.

Jump to Recipe

The Perfect Holiday Cocktail – Cranberry Vanilla Sparkler

This time of the year is my favorite because there are so many occasions to celebrate. And if you’re wondering what special cocktail to celebrate with, I’ve got you covered with the Cranberry Vanilla Sparkler. If you’re a sparkling wine lover, you’ll especially enjoy this cocktail. 

The Cranberry Vanilla Sparkler is a sparkling wine-based cocktail that’s effervescent and balanced. It’s mixed with some refreshing ingredients like Domaine Carneros Estate Brut Cuvée, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, and vanilla bean for a festive holiday cocktail! 

And you can’t serve a delicious cocktail without some gorgeous glassware and the proper equipment, click here to see what I used to create the perfect party libation.

Ingredients for the Cranberry Vanilla Sparkler

• Domaine Carneros Estate Brut Cuvée: This sparkling wine is the 2016 varietal and includes fruity and nutty notes like pear, macadamia nut, and lychee.
• Cranberry juice: This recipe is made with cranberry juice cocktail or blend. You can use 100% cranberry juice if you prefer more tartness in your drink. 
• Orange liqueur: Use a small amount of orange liqueur to add a touch of citrus and sweetness. I used Cointreau but you can use any triple sec liqueur or substitute with your favorite liqueur. Elderflower or berry liqueur would also work well in this drink.
• Vanilla bean: Scrape the seeds from a vanilla bean to add warmth to this cocktail. You can substitute with a smidge of vanilla bean paste like Heilala Vanilla.
• Rosemary and cranberries: Garnish your cocktail with some fresh herbs and cranberries.
• Gold sugar: Make your cocktail look extra special with a gold rim. You can buy edible gold sugar or sprinkles from your grocery store or you can order them online.

Tell Me More About Domaine Carneros!

Domaine Carneros is a winery based out of Napa Valley, located conveniently between Sonoma and Napa. The winery is best known as a small grower/ producer of sparkling wine, pinot noir, estate vineyards, and a breathtakingly beautiful château. 100% of the grapes used come from the estate vineyards, comprised of 400 acres. Plan your visit today!

I used the Domaine Carneros Estate Brut Cuvée in the Cranberry Vanilla Sparkler. This varietal includes bright aromas of green apple, macadamia nut, honeycomb, and yuzu. To the taste, this wine boasts notes of juicy pear, apple, and lychee with a long, savory finish. Pair this varietal with goat cheese, nuts, oysters, and poultry. The Domaine Carneros Estate Brut Cuveée is 57% Chardonnay and 43% Pinot Noir with an ABV of 12%.

How to Make the Cranberry Vanilla Sparkler

To make the Cranberry Vanilla Sparkler, start by preparing 2 glasses with a gold rim. You’ll do this by adding the gold rim sugar to a shallow dish. Run a citrus wedge along the rim of the glasses. Submerge in the gold sugar until the rim is coated. 

Next, you’ll add cranberry juice, orange liqueur and ice to a cocktail shaker. Split and scrape about 1 inch of the vanilla bean into the shaker. Shake until the outside of the cocktail shaker is chilled. 

Divide evenly into the 2 prepared glasses. Fill the glasses with Domaine Carneros Estate Brut Cuvée and garnish with rosemary and cranberries.

More Holiday Cocktail Recipes to Try

• Apple Cider Margarita  
• Grapefruit White Wine Spritzer
• Pumpkin Spice Cocktail
• Blood Orange & Wine Sour Cocktail 

If you’re interested in taking Insta-worthy photos of your cocktails too, check out my free training on how to take Food & Drink Photos on a Budget!

And if you aren’t already, definitely follow me on Instagram and Facebook, to make sure you never miss a recipe, get tons of behind the scenes pics of everything I’m shaking up, shooting, and enjoying!