CONCORD GRAPE AND CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS

Concord Grape and Champagne Cocktails image

Yield Makes 6

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 large oranges
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups vodka (preferably distilled from grapes, such as Cîroc)
2 cups Concord grapes or seedless red grapes, plus 18 for garnish
1 1/4 cups Concord grape juice
1 750-ml bottle chilled Champagne

Steps:

Preheat oven to 250°F. Grate peel from oranges onto baking sheet lined with parchment (reserve oranges to moisten rims of glasses). Bake until peel is dry, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Mix peel, sugar, and cinnamon in bowl; mash to infuse. Cover mixture.
Combine vodka and 2 cups grapes in pitcher. Using potato masher, crush grapes to coarse pulp. Add grape juice. Chill until cold, at least 8 hours.
Moisten rims of 6 Martini glasses with cut sides of reserved oranges; dip into infused sugar. Thread 3 grapes onto each of 6 long toothpicks; divide among glasses. Strain vodka; add 1/4 cup to each glass. Top off with Champagne.