How to make the perfect mimosa

• Mimosas are a simple cocktail made from orange juice and sparkling wine.
• Fresh-squeezed orange juice will make your mimosas shine, but inexpensive sparkling wine is fine.
• Mimosas can be made in batches or individually.

Mimosas are a brunch staple. They're simple, they're classic. "Mimosas get the (morning) party started," says Adam Goddu, beverage manager at Stone's Throw Pizza in Richmond, Vermont

The combination of orange juice and sparkling wine was first popularized in the early 1920s under the name "Buck's Fuzz" by Buck's Club in London. By all accounts, this was mostly sparkling wine, with a splash of orange juice for flavor and color. Several years later, the Ritz Hotel in Paris debuted the mimosa, with a higher percentage of orange juice than the Buck's Fizz.

This drink has only two ingredients, but this simplicity allows the quality and taste of the ingredients to shine. "I like to squeeze my own orange juice for mimosas," says Goddu. "It's worth the extra effort," he says, to have the fresher flavor from the orange juice.

Goddu does not recommend springing for expensive sparkling wine when it comes to mimosas. "Don't waste your money on fancy Champagne if you're diluting it with orange juice," he says. Instead, he recommends your favorite bottle of Prosecco or Cava.

Goddu recommends a 3 to 1 ratio of sparkling wine to orange juice. This ratio keeps the drink effervescent while allowing the flavor and acidity of the orange juice to shine. If you prefer stronger flavors of orange juice or of your sparkling wine, adjust this ratio to your preference. To make your mimosa sweeter, go with a sweeter sparkling wine.

While serving mimosas in champagne flutes is traditional, many beverage professionals, including Goddu, don't recommend them, as they can limit the aromatics of a drink. Opt for a wider glass to allow for a better aromatic experience.

Ingredients

• 3 parts sparkling wine of your choosing.
• 1 part fresh orange juice

What else you'll need

• Your favorite glassware, preferably a wide glass
• A pitcher if you plan to pour for a crowd

Quick tip: Open the sparkling wine immediately before you use it. If you choose to store it after it's opened, make sure to do so in the fridge.

How to make a mimosa

The closer you can make your mimosa to when you'll be serving it, the better. Before you start, decide on your strategy. Do you want to make individual drinks? Or, would you rather make a pitcher and pour folks a drink as they request them? There is no right or wrong answer—choose whichever is more convenient for you.

1. Chill. Chill the clean glasses or your pitcher before you begin (optional, but will help the drinks stay cold).
2. Get out your ingredients. Both the orange juice and the wine should be as cold as possible. Some even recommend using partially frozen orange juice for a slushy effect.
3. Pour the sparkling wine. For one serving, measure or eyeball 2 ounces of sparkling wine into the flute glass. You can adjust the amount depending on your preferences and how many people you're serving if you're pouring into a pitcher. Pour with a tilt to minimize foam.
4. Pour the orange juice. For one serving, pour a little more than half an ounce into the glass. Adjust this amount if you prefer a stronger or a more minimal taste of orange juice. If you're pouring into a pitcher, use the ratio to determine how much orange juice to add.
5. Serve immediately so the drinks stay fizzy. If you're serving from a pitcher, try to serve the entirety of it within 30 minutes.

Quick tip: Pouring the sparkling wine first allows the orange juice and wine to mix, without you needing to stir. If you'd like to be extra thorough, you can give the drink a gentle stir, just know that the sparkling wine might go flat more quickly.

Mimosa flavor variations

Looking to switch up brunch? Here are a few seasonal variations on mimosas. Feel free to garnish with a small slice of fresh fruit or even an edible flower.

• Grand mimosas. Add 1/4 part Grand Marnier or your favorite orange liqueur for every one part orange juice. If you're using 1 ounce of orange juice, fill the small end of a jigger about halfway, or roughly 3/4 of a tablespoon, with Grand Marnier.
• Strawberry mimosas. Blend fresh or frozen strawberries with your orange juice. Your ideal ratio may vary but start with 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen strawberry pieces for every cup of orange juice. Chill, then proceed with the recipe as written.
• Lemosa. Substitute lemonade for the orange juice.
• Poinsettia. Substitute cranberry juice cocktail for the orange juice.
• Apple cider mimosa. Substitute apple cider for the orange juice.
• Watermelon mimosa. Substitute watermelon juice for the orange juice.
• Mimosa meets screwdriver: Add 1/3 part vodka for every one part orange juice. If you're using 1 ounce of orange juice, fill the small end of your jigger about halfway, or roughly 3/4 of a tablespoon, with vodka.

Insider's takeaway

Mimosas are a brunch staple, and luckily very easy to make. Our expert recommends freshly-squeezed orange juice and a less expensive sparkling wine like Cava or Prosecco. Make sure your ingredients are cold, then pour to your ideal ratio. We recommend one part orange juice for every three parts sparkling wine. Feel free to make your mimosas your own by subbing in different juices or adding fun garnishes.