How do you make a mimosa? Fill a flute halfway with chilled dry sparkling wine, then top it with chilled orange juice. Equal parts is the classic ratio, and two parts wine to one part juice tastes crisper. Choose a brut, which keeps the drink bright rather than sugary. Pour the wine first and skip the stirring.
A mimosa takes just two ingredients: sparkling wine and juice. Below are the ratio by glass, the pour, which ONEHOPE Wine bottle to open and five juice twists.
The mimosa ratio, glass by glass
Start with equal parts and adjust to taste. More wine gives a drier, livelier glass. More juice gives a softer, fruitier one.
| Style | Sparkling wine to juice | In a 6-ounce flute | How it tastes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | 1:1 | 3 oz wine, 3 oz juice | Soft and juicy, with orange up front |
| Crisper | 2:1 | 4 oz wine, 2 oz juice | Brighter, with more bubbles |
| Wine-forward | 3:1 | 4.5 oz wine, 1.5 oz juice | Dry and crisp, with a splash of orange |
Very sweet juice suits the crisper ratios. Tart, freshly squeezed juice holds up well at equal parts.
How do you pour a mimosa?
- Chill both. Take the wine and the juice straight from the fridge. Cold wine holds its bubbles and foams less. Our wine serving temperature guide covers how cold.
- Use a flute. Its narrow bowl keeps a steady stream of bubbles rising.
- Pour the wine first. Tilt the glass and pour slowly down the side.
- Top with juice. Juice is heavier than wine, so it sinks and mixes on its own.
- Skip the spoon. Stirring knocks out bubbles and leaves the glass flat sooner.
Why wine first? Sparkling wine poured onto juice tends to foam up fast, and the glass overflows before it is full. Pulp-free juice also foams less and keeps the texture smooth.
New to opening sparkling wine? Our sparkling wine label guide shows how to ease the cork out safely.
Which sparkling wine to pour
A dry brut. Orange juice already brings sweetness, so a dry wine keeps the drink balanced and fresh. Extra dry tastes a touch sweeter despite its name, and Moscato sweeter still. See why brut is the dry one on the label.
Pick a crisp wine you would happily pour on its own. Its fruit and bubbles carry through the juice. These four are all California sparkling wines.
- Vintner Sparkling Brut. Pineapple, citrus and crisp green apple lead to a lively palate and a rich, creamy finish. Its citrus lines up with orange juice for a classic mimosa.
- Gold Shimmer Sparkling Brut and Silver Shimmer Sparkling Brut. Both are crisp, with green apple, luscious pear and a creamy mid-palate. A lingering tropical note suits pineapple juice, and the glitter bottles dress up a brunch table.
- Pink Shimmer Sparkling Rosé. Floral and effervescent, with pomegranate and pink lady apple. It turns any mimosa pink and suits pomegranate or pink grapefruit juice.
Compare styles in our guide to sparkling wine, or browse the sparkling wine collection. ONEHOPE wine gives back.
Juice twists beyond orange
Any chilled juice that tastes good cold works. Match its sweetness and color to the wine.
| Juice | Sparkling wine | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Cranberry | Vintner Sparkling Brut | Tart berry meets crisp green apple; add a few cranberries and a rosemary sprig for a holiday brunch |
| Sweet apple cider (non-alcoholic) | Gold Shimmer Sparkling Brut | The wine's green apple and pear echo the cider; finish with a thin apple slice |
| Pomegranate | Pink Shimmer Sparkling Rosé | The wine's pomegranate note meets the juice, and the glass turns deep pink |
| Pink grapefruit | Silver Shimmer Sparkling Brut | The wine's bright acidity and luscious pear soften the grapefruit's bitter edge |
| Pineapple | Gold Shimmer Sparkling Brut | The tropical note in the wine picks up the pineapple |
Cranberry and pomegranate are bold, so start at the crisper 2:1 ratio. Buy the plain sweet cider sold as juice, not hard cider.
Mimosa or bellini?
A bellini swaps orange juice for white peach purée. Prosecco is the traditional wine, but other sparkling wines work too. Purée is thick, so spoon it into the glass first, then top slowly with the wine and stir once.
For an autumn version with fresh pear and rosemary, try our pear bellini.
How do you set up a mimosa bar?
- Bottles on ice. Keep the sparkling wine in a bucket of ice and water, and open one bottle at a time.
- Two or three juices. Pour orange plus one tart and one sweet juice, such as cranberry and apple cider, into clear carafes.
- Fruit to garnish. Set out orange slices, berries, pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprigs.
- Flutes and a small card. Write the three ratios on it, so guests can pour their own.
- Something without wine. Add sparkling water to mix with the juices for guests who are not drinking.
To compare twists, pour small glasses of two or three side by side. A wine spritzer, still wine topped with sparkling water, is another two-ingredient drink for the same table. Mimosas suit eggs, pastries and salty dishes. For smoked salmon on bagels, see what to pour with smoked salmon at brunch.
Frequently asked questions
Should you stir a mimosa?
No. The juice sinks through the wine and mixes on its own, and a spoon knocks out bubbles. Only a thick purée, as in a bellini, needs one gentle stir.
Can you make a mimosa with sparkling rosé?
Yes. Pink Shimmer Sparkling Rosé brings pomegranate and pink lady apple and turns the glass pink. It suits pomegranate or pink grapefruit juice.
Should you pour the juice or the sparkling wine first?
The sparkling wine. Pour it slowly into a tilted glass, then top with juice. The juice sinks and mixes on its own, and the glass foams less. Thick purées, as in a bellini, go in first.
Can you make mimosas ahead of time?
Mix each glass as you pour it. Bubbles fade once the wine meets the juice, so a pitcher made ahead turns flat. Chill the bottles and juice ahead instead. For a drink that rests in a pitcher, try our sangria recipes.
Is a mimosa sweet?
It depends on the wine and the juice. A dry brut with tart, fresh juice makes a crisp glass. Extra dry wine or very sweet juice makes a softer, sweeter one.
What food goes with mimosas?
Eggs, pastries and salty brunch dishes. The bubbles and acidity refresh the palate between bites.
