Mimosa Bucket Recipe

Chill bottles and juice

Place the sparkling wine/Champagne and all juices in the refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving so everything is thoroughly chilled. If you have limited fridge space, chill bottles in an ice bucket for 20–30 minutes before assembly.

Wash all fruit thoroughly. Slice the oranges into wheels about 1/4-inch thick. Hull and halve the strawberries. Keep raspberries whole. Set aside a few mint sprigs for garnish.

If using ice in the bucket, fill the bottom of a large serving bucket or punch bowl with 4–6 cups of ice to keep the mixture cold without diluting it too quickly.

In a large pitcher or directly into the chilled serving bucket/punch bowl, combine the orange juice and grapefruit juice (if using). For a standard balanced ratio for a crowd, use about 8 cups orange juice to 3 bottles of sparkling wine; adjust proportions by taste.

If using optional flavor boosters, stir in the peach nectar or purée and the elderflower/orange liqueur now. Add simple syrup only if the juices taste too tart.

Gently add the chilled bottles of sparkling wine one at a time, pouring slowly to preserve bubbles. If assembling in individual glasses rather than the bucket, pour sparkling wine into each glass first and then top with juice; for a bucket, gently fold the wine into the juice with a large ladle or spoon—do not vigorously stir.

Nestle the orange slices, halved strawberries, and raspberries into the mixture so fruit floats and chills the drink. If using ice in the bucket, arrange fruit on top of the ice so it looks attractive and stays cold.

Garnish the rim of the bucket or pitcher with mint sprigs and reserve a few fruit slices for individual glasses.

To serve from the bucket: provide champagne flutes or stemmed glasses. Ladle the mimosa mixture gently into each glass (about 4–5 oz per serving), making sure to include some fruit in each pour if desired. If guests prefer fizzier drinks, pour sparkling wine into the glass first and top with juice from the bucket.

Keep the bucket chilled with additional ice if serving over an extended period (place the serving bucket inside a larger ice-filled tub or add ice around it). Replace fruit and ice as needed to maintain presentation.

Leftovers: cover and refrigerate any unused mixture without adding more sparkling wine (it will go flat). Store leftover sparkling wine and top off individual glasses when serving fresh pours.