Mimosas Recipe

Chill and juice

Place the bottle of sparkling wine in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours (or in an ice bucket for 20–30 minutes) so it is well chilled. While it chills, juice fresh oranges until you have about 4 cups of orange juice. If using blood orange or grapefruit variations, juice those fruit and keep juices separate or combine according to desired color/flavor.

Taste the orange juice. If the juice is very tart or you prefer a slightly sweeter mimosa, stir in up to 2 teaspoons of simple syrup or 2 teaspoons of orange liqueur and mix well. Keep juices chilled.

Slice orange wheels and strawberries and set mint sprigs aside for garnish.

Use chilled champagne flutes or coupe glasses. For a standard ratio, fill each glass one-third with chilled orange juice (about 3–4 ounces or 90–120 ml) — this recipe yields about 8 servings using 4 cups (32 fl oz) of OJ — and then top gently with chilled sparkling wine until nearly full (about 4–5 ounces or 120–150 ml). Pour the sparkling wine slowly down the side of the glass to preserve bubbles.

For variations: - Classic: 1 part orange juice to 1 part sparkling wine (equal parts) for a lighter drink. - Brunch-style: 1/3 juice, 2/3 sparkling for more effervescence. - Blood orange or grapefruit: substitute some or all of the orange juice with blood orange or grapefruit juice for a different color/flavor. Adjust proportions the same way.

If using fruit garnishes, float a thin orange wheel or a slice of strawberry on top of each glass and add a mint sprig for aroma. Serve immediately while bubbles are lively.

To serve a pitcher: combine chilled juices in a pitcher and gently stir. When ready to serve, pour some juice into each glass and top with sparkling wine to avoid flattening. Do not premix sparkling wine with the juice far in advance — add sparkling wine only when serving to preserve carbonation.

Store any leftover juice in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Once opened, sparkling wine should be consumed within 1–2 days; use a sparkling wine stopper to preserve bubbles if needed.