The Best Champagne For Mimosas According To The Pros

The mimosa is a wine cocktail which isn't too tricky to make. Equal parts orange juice and sparkling white wine, it's brightly colored like the flowers of the mimosa tree (which is the drink's namesake). Still, whether you're making one for a Sunday afternoon or mixing together 20 mimosas for brunch guests with a couple of Champagne bottles, you want to make sure the ingredients are up to snuff. Do you need high quality Champagne for a mimosa?

Chowhound spoke exclusively with Camille Parson Goldstein, the Co-Founder of Muddling Memories, a hospitality company which specializes in beverages such as cocktails. According to Goldstein, you don't need anything fancy. In fact, she recommends looking for affordable sparkling wines when mixing together mimosas: "Don't break the bank when you mix wine with juice! You could totally use Prosecco or a Cava." Keep in mind, however, that the same advice doesn't apply to the orange juice, which should be high quality. "Fresh is best," according to Goldstein. The bottled orange juice (or fresh-squeezed orange juice) should be pulp-free, and its freshness and flavor play a role in how the drink turns out. Certain brands like Costco's mimosas use special oranges to get the flavor right.

Beyond their price point, Prosecco and Cava are good choices for a mimosa because they have especially fruity flavors. The grapes used to make Prosecco are known for flavors reminiscent of green apple, honeysuckle, and often citrus. Cava is similarly known for having a strong citrus profile (although it depends on dryness, and most cava is a dry, "brut" sparkling wine). You might also try crémant, which is French for "creamy," and a strong, citrusy sparkling wine.

However, if you really want to splurge a little and go with Champagne, you should keep an eye out for what's in the blend. Most Champagne is made from a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and meunier grapes. According to Goldstein, "If you are going Champagne, go for something that has a high chardonnay percentage. The brioche and yeasty flavors from this white grape in Champagne make for an outstanding mimosa when mixed with OJ." Chardonnay is a dry white wine which pairs well with white meats and creamy foods as well, in case you're planning a meal. Don't feel like you need real Champagne, though, because a fruity sparkling wine should get you exactly what you need for that mimosa.