Aspen Times Weekly Libation: Morning Glory Mimosa
Getty Images/iStockphoto | iStockphoto
Make It
1 bottle of bubbles — Cava, dry Prosecco or Brut Champagne (less sweet is preferred when using fresh juices)
12 ounces of fresh-squeezed oranges or blood oranges (the fresher the squeeze, the lighter and fruitier the taste)
Pineapple vodka
Bubbles, orange juice and pineapple vodka should all be chilled before mixing. Pour 3 ounces of bubbles into a Champagne flute. Add 1 ounce fresh squeezed orange juice. Top with 1 ounce of pineapple vodka.
Let’s be honest: I love bubbles. Cava, Prosecco, a great Brut Champagne. It’s my go-to drink whether I’m at happy hour or Sunday brunch. I’ve had hundreds of mimosas in half a dozen countries and there are two things that matter when mixing the best juice/bubbles combo. First, always use fresh juice. It’s sweeter, it’s lighter and the taste cannot be compared to anything in a bottle. Unless you’re making a gallon (I’ve had those lazy Sundays, too), it doesn’t take a lot of juice. Just do it. As for the bubbles, Prosecco is a great choice. Whatever you choose, choose more brut than sweet, because fresh juice will take care of the sugar. The pineapple flavored vodka adds a fun zippy twist that you’ll rarely find on any menu. You’ll be the brunch hero — and you didn’t even have to squeeze fresh pineapple juice.
WineInk: The 2023 vintage
“2023 predicted to be the Vintage of a Lifetime in Napa Valley,” proclaimed the headline this week in a press release sent out by the Napa Valley Vintners, the trade organization that represents the growers and producers in America’s most famed wine region. If there is anyone more optimistic than winemakers, it is the group that represents them.
