The mimosa is the undisputed king of brunch, a bright, bubbly, sunny drink made from just two ingredients: sparkling wine and orange juice. It is simple, celebratory and endlessly easy to batch for a table of friends, which is exactly why it has been a brunch staple for a century.
Because it is so simple, the small details make all the difference. Here is the classic recipe, the sparkling wine that actually belongs in it, and a few easy ways to make yours taste better than average.
Mimosa
The two-ingredient brunch drink: cold sparkling wine and fresh orange juice, in a chilled flute.
Equal parts sparkling wine and orange juiceIngredients
How to make it
- Chill both the sparkling wine and the orange juice well.
- Pour the orange juice into a chilled Champagne flute.
- Top gently with the sparkling wine to preserve the bubbles.
- Garnish with an orange twist if you like, and serve at once.
The Classic Recipe
The traditional mimosa is equal parts sparkling wine and orange juice, poured into a chilled flute. That one-to-one ratio is a great starting point, though many people prefer a little more sparkling wine to keep it dry and bubbly. Pour the juice first and top gently with the sparkling wine so you do not knock out the bubbles.
The order and temperature matter more than you would think. Everything should be cold, and a chilled glass helps keep the drink crisp. There is no need to shake or stir; a gentle top-up does the job.
Which Sparkling Wine to Use
Do not waste good Champagne here. Orange juice masks the fine, bready notes you pay for, so the smart buy is a dry, affordable sparkler with plenty of acidity: a Prosecco from the Veneto, a Spanish Cava, or a crémant from Alsace or the Loire. Look for the words brut or extra dry on the label, keep it cold, and open it just before you pour. If you want the fizz to matter, our explainer on the difference between sparkling wine and Champagne settles what you are actually buying.
That said, a mimosa made with real Champagne is a lovely thing on a special morning, and it does not have to be expensive. Our list of the best Champagnes under $100 and our guide to grower Champagne are the places to shop; just pick something dry and let the juice play a supporting role.
How to Make It Better
Two upgrades transform a mimosa. First, use fresh-squeezed orange juice if you can, since the difference from carton juice is dramatic in a drink this simple. Second, respect the ratio: the moment the juice takes over, you have orange soda with a headache in it. Lean toward more wine than juice and the drink stays bright.
From there, experiment. Blood-orange or grapefruit juice make a more sophisticated version, and a small splash of an orange liqueur like Grand Marnier adds depth for a special occasion. For a crowd, set out a chilled bottle and a jug of juice and let people build their own; batching in a pitcher goes flat within minutes.
Where the Mimosa Comes From
The mimosa is usually credited to the Ritz in Paris, where the bar is said to have started mixing Champagne with orange juice in the 1920s and named the result for the mimosa flower, whose yellow blossoms match the colour of the drink. London had a near-identical cousin a few years earlier in the Buck’s Fizz, made at Buck’s Club with a heavier pour of Champagne. Whichever bar got there first, the idea was the same: a way to drink Champagne before noon without anyone objecting.
It is worth remembering that the drink was born in Champagne’s home country, and the region is an easy day from Paris. If a Sunday of mimosas ever turns into a trip, our two-day Champagne itinerary and our Champagne destination guide are where to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ratio for a mimosa?
The classic mimosa is equal parts sparkling wine and orange juice. Many people prefer a little more sparkling wine than juice to keep it drier and more bubbly, so adjust to taste.
What sparkling wine is best for mimosas?
A crisp, dry, affordable sparkling wine such as Prosecco, Cava or a French crémant is ideal. There is no need to use expensive Champagne, because the orange juice would mask its finer flavors. Just make sure the wine is dry and cold.
Should you use fresh orange juice for mimosas?
Yes, if you can. In a drink with only two ingredients, fresh-squeezed orange juice makes a noticeable difference in flavor over carton juice, giving a brighter, fresher mimosa.
How do you keep mimosas from going flat?
Keep everything cold, pour the orange juice first and top gently with the sparkling wine, and make each drink fresh rather than batching it far ahead. Chilled glasses also help preserve the bubbles.
What is the difference between a mimosa and a Buck's Fizz?
They are close cousins. A mimosa is usually equal parts sparkling wine and orange juice, while the British Buck’s Fizz uses roughly two parts Champagne to one part juice, so it is drier and stronger.
What can I use instead of orange juice in a mimosa?
Grapefruit, blood-orange, pineapple or cranberry juice all make delicious variations. Any bright, not-too-sweet juice works well with dry sparkling wine.
Sources and further reading
- Comité Champagne, the official body for the Champagne appellation
- Consorzio di Tutela della DOC Prosecco, on Prosecco
- Consejo Regulador del Cava, on Cava