How to Choose the Best Sparkling Wine for Mimosas

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How to Choose the Best Sparkling Wine for Mimosas

This classic cocktail has a simple recipe—half orange juice, half sparkling wine—which makes choosing the right ingredients even more important. Read on to learn how to select the best sparkling wine for Mimosas, which wine styles to avoid and my top picks from the WSJ Wine cellars.

What Makes a Good Sparkling Wine for Mimosas?

When choosing a sparkling wine for Mimosas, remember these three Ps: profile, price and preference.

Let’s start with the flavor profile. Just like pairing wine with food, consider how the sparkling wine will complement or contrast with its partner, the orange juice.

Orange juice is naturally sweet, so choose a dry (not sweet) sparkling wine to balance it. Look for the terms Brut Zero, Extra Brut or Brut on the label. Extra Dry, which is a bit sweeter than Brut, will be fine if you love sweeter cocktails.

You can also balance sweetness and ensure a refreshing Mimosa by picking a sparkling wine with high acidity. While almost all sparkling wines are relatively high in acidity, the most vibrant tend to be young wines made with winemaking practices that preserve freshness (like the tank method used for Prosecco).

As for the flavors, you’ll want the sparkling wine to match the orange juice’s fresh, fruity notes. Prosecco is an excellent example, as it has a fruit-forward profile full of apple, pear and citrus notes that will add complexity while complementing the juice.

You’ll also want to factor in price. Quality Prosecco or Cava will cost $15 to $25 per bottle, while quality Crémant wines will run you $25 to $35, and entry-level Champagnes start around $50 to $70.

Depending on portion size, a standard bottle of sparkling wine will yield between eight to 12 Mimosas (see below), so you’ll get more bang for your buck with a less expensive wine. But, of course, there’s nothing wrong with splurging either!

Finally, your preference matters. If you like your Mimosa fresh and fruity, pick Prosecco. If you prefer it super sweet, try Moscato d’Asti. If Champagne is your favorite bubbly, then go for it. Feel free to mix up the juice, too. Grapefruit, cranberry and pineapple are popular alternatives to orange, but any fruit juice will do.

What Not to Buy

Once again, refer to the three Ps.

Flavor profile: Unless you love sweet cocktails, avoid sweet sparkling wines that will amplify the orange juice’s sweetness and make your Mimosa cloying. Likewise, sparkling wine that is lower in acidity—whether due to going flat, extended aging or winemaking practices like malolactic fermentation (which converts malic acid into smoother lactic acid)—can also create a less refreshing Mimosa. Note that sparkling wines made using the traditional method (e.g. Champagne or Crémant) can have strong secondary flavors (think brioche or hazelnut) that may taste less appealing alongside orange juice.

Price: My professional advice is to opt for affordable sparkling wines and skip pricey bottles, as it will be far harder to appreciate their complexity when you mix them with orange juice.

Preference: Life is too short to drink a Mimosa you don’t like.

The Best Sparkling Wines for Mimosas

Prosecco is my top sparkling wine for Mimosas. It has a dry, crisp, fruit-forward profile that makes for fresh and fruity Mimosas. Prosecco also has a high value ratio, with high-quality wines available from $15 to 20 a bottle.

Cava is another great option. Though made using the traditional method, it has refreshingly high acidity with a zesty, citrusy character. It’s also a bargain compared to other traditional method bubblies, with quality bottles also to be found around $15 to $20.

Champagne and Crémant (France’s other great sparkling wine) can also make nice Mimosas, especially when young and vibrant. Though, keep in mind the considerations above.

Here are my top picks from the WSJ Wine cellars:

Lustrato Prosecco

Made by talented winemaker Alessio Rossetto, this classic Prosecco offers ripe peach and pear notes carried on a wave of creamy bubbles. Perfect for a fruity, uplifting Mimosa.

Alessandro Gallici Prosecco Anniversario

From a historic, organic vineyard, this special-edition Prosecco brings an incredible intensity of flavor that will elevate your Mimosa. Plus, it comes in a stunning, jewel-like bottle.

Dominio de Los Duques Cava

Crafted by Vicente García (aka “The Godfather of Valencian Cava”), this stylish Cava has persistent bubbles and zingy, lemony flavors at a price other traditional method sparklers can’t match.

Domaine B&B Bouché Crémant de Limoux

This boutique French bubbly from Limoux (the original home of sparkling wine) brims with fresh orchard fruit, subtle brioche and candied orange notes, making it a fitting choice for Mimosas.

Champagne Nicolo & Paradis Brut

If only Champagne will do, this gold-medal Brut offers a bright, fruity profile that will work for Mimosas and is a relative bargain in the world of boutique Champagne.

Capisco Ribolla Gialla Spumante

A local favorite in northern Italy, this lively, citrusy sparkling wine is a fantastic alternative to Prosecco. It has a similar, Mimosa-worthy profile and will be a fun, new bubbly for most guests!

Edenvale Sparkling Cuvée

This award-winning, 0% ABV sparkling wine is perfect for mocktails. From Edenvale, Australia’s leading producer of zero-alcohol wines, it has ripe citrus flavors and effervescent bubbles.

How Much Sparkling Wine Should You Buy?

Here’s a simple calculation:

Guests x Drinks per Person / Servings per Bottle

Multiply the number of guests (including you) by…

Drinks per person: A good rule of thumb is two Mimosas per guest, but make sure to adjust for the occasion (e.g. one glass for brunch) and attendees’ preferences.

Now, take drinks per person and divide by…

Mimosa servings per bottle: A standard Mimosa is four to six ounces, with two to three being sparkling wine. A standard bottle of wine is about 25 ounces. So, one bottle of sparkling wine will make 12 four-ounce Mimosas or 8 six-ounce Mimosas.

Example: 20 guests x 2 drinks each = 40 servings. 40 total servings / 8 servings per bottle = 5 bottles of sparkling wine.

Don’t feel like doing math? Call the WSJ Wine Personal Wine Advisors. We’re happy to help you figure it out!

Conclusion

I hope this guide helps you choose a great sparkling wine for Mimosas. If you happen to pick one from the WSJ Wine cellars, let us know how you enjoyed it with an online review. Cheers!

WINES MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE