There are very few brunch staples that I don’t enjoy, but one of my favorites is The Mimosa. If you don’t know what that is, let me just explain: Traditionally, it’s orange juice and champagne. And it is delicious. In more modern times, we’ve learned that sparkling wine works just as well and is just as delicious.
Ingredients
Since there are only two ingredients, let’s talk about those ingredients. For the orange juice, brand is inconsequential, but what you want to look for is quality. Stay away from juices with pulp. (You do not want a Mimosa with pulp, ok, just trust me. The carbonation from the sparkling wine or champagne will make the pulp float to the top and it is not smooth or pretty.) You also want to avoid made from concentrate, and orange “juices” that are just orange flavored drinks.
One of the oldest running brunch jokes about mimosas is “See, it’s orange juice. It’s HEALTHY, okay?!”
Now. Onward to the alcohol! Your best bet is to look for Cava, which comes from Spain, or any another sparkling wine in the $10 and up range. A dry Prosecco is a great option, as are Moscatos, if you like yours a little bit on the sweeter side. (I personally prefer Castello del Poggio, which is an Italian moscato, and it usually runs around $12 for a bottle.)
Mix Ratio For Mimosas
The classic mimosa recipe calls for equal parts sparkling wine/champagne to orange juice (i.e. half and half). But as with any mixed drink, obviously the answer is dealer’s choice. If you prefer more of one and less of the other, you really can’t go wrong either way.
One important thing to note, though, is that when you are making mimosas, you should always add the sparkling wine or champagne first, and then top with orange juice. There are two reasons for this. The first and most important is that doing it in this order preserves the bubbles. You WANT the bubbles, obviously. The bubbles are much easier to control when you add the orange juice to the sparkling wine, instead of vice versa. Secondly, doing it this way allows the cocktail to mix together on its own so it won’t make a sticky mess at the top of the glass from the carbonation.
Another important note: Do. Not. Stir. If you stir your Mimosa, this will cause the wine to become flat. And we want bubbles, remember?
Variations
The Poinsettia is made the same, except with cranberry juice instead of OJ.
The Lemosa is made with lemonade instead of OJ.
The Vermosa (or The Crisp) is made with apple cider or apple juice instead of OJ.
The Soleil is made with pineapple juice instead of OJ.
The Megmos is made with grapefruit juice instead of OJ.
Adding a splash of grenadine to your Mimosa will give it a lovely sunrise gradation, and also make it a bit sweeter.
To make a Virgin Mimosa (i.e. non-alcoholic), simply swap out the wine or champagne for a sparkling grape juice or even a sparkling water (like Perrier or La Croix) in a pinch.
*Please drink responsibly*
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