Want FREE SHIPPING all year long? Find out how >
Get FREE SHIPPING all year long >
Champagne is the default pour for a mimosa, but it is rarely the smart one. Add orange juice and the fine bubbles and yeasty depth you paid for mostly vanish into the glass. A dry, fruit-forward sparkling wine gives you a better glass for a fraction of the price.
Orange juice is sweet and loud, so it flattens delicate flavors and hides fine detail. The bubbly that wins a mimosa is dry, high in acidity, and lively enough to hold its own against the juice. For the full story on how sparkling wine is made and how the styles compare, see our guide to sparkling wine for mimosas.
Sparkling wine labels can trick you. Brut means dry, and Extra Dry is actually a little sweeter than Brut, which trips up a lot of shoppers. For a mimosa, reach for Brut or the even drier Extra Brut, because the juice already brings plenty of sweetness. Start dry, and you can always dial in more juice later.
Four styles deliver everything a mimosa needs without the Champagne markup. Each one is dry, lively, and easy to find, and each brings its own personality to the glass.
Prosecco is Italy's easygoing crowd-pleaser, made from the Glera grape in the country's northeast. Its bubbles come from a tank method that keeps the wine fresh, soft, and full of orchard fruit. That approachable, fruity character folds into orange juice with almost no effort. It is the reason Prosecco pours into so many brunch mimosas.
Here is the fun part: Cava from Spain is made using the same traditional method as Champagne, with a second fermentation right in the bottle. That process gives it fine bubbles and a crisp, bright edge that keeps a mimosa from turning flat. A rosé Cava adds a berry tint and a festive look. It is a fun swap when you want brunch to feel like an occasion.
Crémant is French sparkling wine made outside the Champagne region, in places like Limoux and Alsace. It uses the same traditional method as Champagne, so you get real finesse and a fine bead of bubbles for a small step up in price. This is the bottle to open when you want your mimosa to taste more polished. You get most of the Champagne experience without the Champagne bill.
American sparkling wine has come a long way, and California leads the pack. You will find both traditional-method bottles with real depth and lighter tank-method options that are bright and budget-friendly. Either way, homegrown bubbles are reliable and widely stocked. They are a fun way to keep a brunch close to home.
Not everyone wants a bone-dry mimosa, and that is perfectly fine. Moscato d'Asti, made from the Muscat grape in Italy's Piedmont, is gently sweet and low in alcohol, so it keeps a mimosa light and easy to sip. An off-dry sparkling wine works too, giving guests who prefer a sweeter glass something friendly that never tips into dessert territory.
A good mimosa comes down to balance and temperature. Get the ratio and the chill right, and the wine does the rest.
No, and most of the time you are better off without it. The delicate toast and fine bubbles that make Champagne special get buried the moment orange juice hits the glass. A dry Prosecco, Cava, or Crémant delivers everything a mimosa needs for far less money. Save the real Champagne for a glass you drink on its own, where you can actually taste what you paid for.
Brut is the safer bet for most brunches. It is genuinely dry, so it balances the sweetness of the juice instead of piling on more sugar. Extra Dry sounds drier but is actually a touch sweeter, which can make the whole drink cloying. If you like a softer, sweeter mimosa, Extra Dry can work, but Brut is the place to start.
Prosecco and Cava are the value champions here. Both give you dry, lively bubbles at a friendly price, and they mix so well with juice that no one will miss the pricier stuff. Cava is the closest thing to Champagne at the low end, since it is made the very same way. For a big-batch brunch, either one lets you pour freely without watching the budget.
Plan on one 750ml bottle for every few guests. A single bottle stretches to about a dozen mimosas, depending on how generous your pours are. For a group of eight, two to three bottles usually cover a relaxed brunch with room for refills. When in doubt, buy one extra, since leftover sparkling wine is never a problem.
Here is your cheat sheet. For an easy, budget-friendly brunch, reach for a Brut Prosecco or Cava that mixes beautifully with juice. When you want to step things up, a Crémant brings extra finesse for a few dollars more, and you can leave the Champagne for sipping on its own.
Wine.com carries thousands of sparkling wines from around the world, so there is a mimosa-ready bottle for every taste and budget. Whether you want a case for a crowd or one nice bottle for a quiet Sunday, the options sit in one place.
Ready to fill your glass? Browse Sparkling Wine at Wine.com and find the perfect pour for your next brunch.