Mimosa - Prosecco & Fresh Orange Brunch Cocktail

Cold Prosecco and fresh orange juice are all you need for a proper Mimosa. The sparkling wine keeps the drink crisp and lively while the citrus brings sweetness, acidity, and fresh fruit flavor. This Mimosa recipe uses equal parts of each, creating a light sparkling cocktail that is especially at home at brunch.

Paris, Bubbles, and a Little Uncertainty

The Mimosa is commonly associated with Paris in the 1920s and bartender Frank Meier of the Ritz, although its exact authorship is not firmly documented. Meier included a Mimosa in his 1936 The Artistry of Mixing Drinks but did not mark it as one of his own creations. The closely related Buck's Fizz appeared earlier in London.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

• Prosecco - provides crisp sparkling wine character, fruitiness, and lively carbonation.
• Orange Juice - adds fresh citrus flavor, gentle acidity, and natural sweetness.

Useful substitutions:

• No Prosecco? A dry Champagne or Cava can provide the necessary sparkling structure, though the character will change.
• Freshly squeezed orange juice gives the brightest flavor, but a high-quality chilled orange juice works when fresh oranges are unavailable.

Equipment

• Champagne Flute
• Jigger or measuring cup
• Bar spoon

Equal Parts Keep It Bright

The Mimosa works because neither ingredient has to carry the whole drink. Orange juice softens the wine's acidity and brings fruit sweetness, while Prosecco lifts the juice with bubbles and keeps the texture from becoming heavy. Equal proportions give both ingredients a clear voice instead of turning the cocktail into orange juice with a splash of fizz.

Substitutions & Variations

• Champagne Mimosa - use dry Champagne instead of Prosecco for a different sparkling wine profile.
• Cava Mimosa - Spanish Cava offers another dry, crisp alternative.
• Blood Orange Mimosa - replace standard orange juice with fresh blood orange juice for deeper citrus flavor and color.
• Grand Mimosa - add a small amount of orange liqueur for more concentrated orange character.
• Other citrus - mandarin or tangerine juice can produce related sparkling citrus variations.

Helpful Tips

• Chill the Prosecco, orange juice, and flute before building the drink.
• Use freshly squeezed orange juice when possible and strain out excess pulp if you prefer a cleaner texture.
• Pour the Prosecco gently to control foaming and preserve carbonation.
• Stir only enough to combine the ingredients. This is not the moment to attack the glass with a bar spoon.
• Serve immediately while the wine is still lively.
• For brunch service, keep the orange juice cold and open the Prosecco shortly before serving rather than pre-batching the finished drinks.