From David Lebovitz
Garnish: Sliced apples, grapes, pears, and/or figs
Add the Pineau des Charentes, cognac (or brandy) and lemon juice to a goblet. Stir gently, then add the sparkling cider then a generous handful of ice.
Stir very gently, once or twice, just to mix the ingredients. Garnish with fresh fruit.
I tried this with a variety of sparklers, including American hard cider (too beer-like), Martinelli's sparkling apple juice (quite sweet), and Prosecco (very good, but not French). I was hoping to keep it as French as possible and I liked it best with French sparkling cider. “Sweet” has become a bad word in the drinks world, and I'm not a fan of overly sweet drinks or cocktails either. So I prefer a <i>brut</i>, or dry variety of cider, as opposed to <i>doux</i> (sweet). The dash of lemon juice helps keep the balance in check, as does the extra cognac.