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sparkling wine · Built in the glass
The Mimosa consists of just two ingredients: orange juice and Prosecco, in equal parts. It tastes fruity and sparkling, comes together quickly, and contains less alcohol than most cocktails.
As of: · Paris, early 20th century
Orange defines the flavor: sweet, juicy, with some acidity behind it. The Prosecco brings the carbonation, which makes the drink light and fizzy. Because both parts are equal in size, you taste the juice and sparkling wine equally well. The wine takes some of the sweetness away, otherwise everything would taste purely fruity. You barely notice the alcohol, since there's no spirit involved. Served cold, the Mimosa feels fresh and brief. Once it warms up, it quickly tastes like nothing more than juice.
The Mimosa is the classic drink for a late breakfast or brunch. It's light, fruity, and easy for everyone to enjoy, even guests with no cocktail experience. If you're after bold or bitter drinks, you'll find it boring. It's practical for large groups too, since there's no shaking involved—just pour both into the glass.
What matters
Chill the juice and Prosecco well beforehand, ideally both overnight in the fridge. Warm ingredients foam over and lose their fizz. Pour the Prosecco slowly along the rim of the glass onto the juice. Stir only very gently afterward, or you'll lose the sparkle. Squeeze the oranges fresh—this recipe lives on just two ingredients.
The Mimosa is often linked to Frank Meier and the Ritz in Paris. That's not entirely certain: mixing orange juice with sparkling wine can hardly be traced back to a single scene. The name refers to the mimosa flower. There are related drinks like the Buck's Fizz, which differ mainly in ratio. The names aren't strictly kept separate everywhere, though. So if you order a Mimosa, you won't always get exactly this ratio of juice to sparkling wine.
In the same direction
White peach purée and cold Prosecco—that's all the Bellini needs. It tastes fruity and mild, and the purée gives it a slightly silky texture in the mouth.
Zum RezeptVodka, lemon juice and blackcurrant liqueur go into a tall glass over ice, then you top it up with sparkling wine. The result is a long, dark red drink that tastes fruity and fizzes on the tongue.
Zum RezeptA sugar cube sits in the glass, soaked with Angostura. This is a strongly spiced bitters essence. On top comes a touch of cognac and cold champagne. The cube slowly dissolves, so the drink changes in the glass as you drink it.
Zum Rezept