Mimosas became a favorite cocktail of mine many years ago...long before I became a Wine Geek. On an untrained palate, the simple blend of orange juice and sparkling wine is so quaffable! Now that I lean to more complexity in beverages, the Mimosa is still my favorite go-to. It's so easy to make and so easy to drink - at any time of the day. We could say, the Breakfast of Champions' perfect start to the day!

In honor of the national holiday celebrating this classic sparkler, here are several tasty versions that will have you raising your champagne flute to the Mimosa creator (as with all cocktails there's more than one who gets credit for the original recipe, but we do know that the drink dates back to the early 1920's).

Mimosa Tips

• Original recipe is 50/50 sparkling and OJ. I like the zippiness of 2/3 sparkling and 1/3 OJ in my flute. 
• Always chill the ingredients! If you make a pitcher, keep it cold.
• Pour the sparkling wine in first and pour it into the glass at a slight angle to maintain the fizz in the bubbles.
• I prefer a flute to a wine glass. Flutes are fun and they keep the bubbles from flattening out.
• Favorite Mimosa sparkling wines: Gruet Blanc de Blanc, Segura Viudas Cava, Mionetto Prosecco

 $15.99/btl   $9.99/btl   $13.99/btl   $33.99/btl   $8.99/6-pk  $39.99/btl

 Pomosa

• 1 oz Van Gogh pomegranate vodka, chilled
• 4 oz sparkling wine
• Garnish: strawberry

Beermosa

• 12 ounces light lager, chilled
• 4 ounces fresh orange juice, chilled
• Garnish: orange wheel

 Fill a chilled beer glass with the cold lager. Add the cold orange juice. Garnish with the orange wheel.  

Classic Cointreau Mimosa

• 1/2 ounce Cointreau  
• 3 ounces Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled
• 1 1/2 ounces fresh orange juice, chilled
• ice

Pour Cointreau and orange juice into a chilled mixing glass. Add ice and stir briefly. Pour sparkling wine into a chilled flute. Strain orange juice mixture into the flute. Garnish with an orange peel twist. 

CHEERS!