Lavender Lemonade Mimosa
A Lavender Lemonade Mimosa is fresh lavender lemonade topped with chilled sparkling wine — a bright, floral welcome to spring. The host secret is that the lemonade is made up to two days ahead, so all that is left is to fill each flute about a third full and top it slowly with sparkling wine. Better yet, set out a Mimosa Bar and let guests build their own.
A mimosa is the drink of good news — showers, luncheons, the first warm morning of the year. This one trades the usual orange juice for a fragrant lavender lemonade, which makes it feel like something you thought about rather than something you poured from a carton.
The Lavender Lemonade
Stir the fresh lemon juice together with lavender syrup and cold water, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled — up to two days ahead without losing a thing. The lavender should read as a soft floral note behind the lemon, never a mouthful of perfume, so keep the syrup measured. A well-made lemonade is doing most of the work here; the wine simply lifts it.
A Third Lemonade, Then the Bubbles
The pour is what keeps a mimosa elegant. Fill each Champagne flute about a third full with the chilled lavender lemonade, then top it slowly with sparkling wine, letting the bubbles rise and blend the two on their own. Garnish with a thin lemon wheel and a sprig of lavender, and a few berries or an edible flower for a spring finish.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large pitcher, combine lemon juice, Lavender Simple Syrup, and cold water. Stir well and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
- Fill Champagne flutes one-third full with Lavender Lemonade.
- Slowly top with sparkling wine and garnish with lemon wheel, lavender sprig, and berries or edible flowers.
The Heart of the Table
The first toast of the season carries a little more meaning than the rest. A floral, sparkling mimosa pressed into a hand says spring is here and so are you — a small celebration of the people gathered and the bright, hopeful months ahead.
The Art of the Host
Reach for a large glass beverage dispenser or a crystal pitcher for the lemonade, a set of Champagne flutes, and bottles of sparkling wine kept well chilled. Arrange small bowls of berries, edible flowers, mint, and citrus alongside, and the whole thing becomes a Mimosa Bar that runs itself while you welcome everyone to the luncheon.
Neighborly Grace
- The Presentation: Serve in a Champagne flute finished with a thin lemon wheel and a sprig of fresh lavender, with a few blueberries or raspberries and an edible flower for a graceful spring touch. Keep the pours slow so each glass stays bright and clear.
- The Vibe: A bright spring luncheon, a bridal or baby shower, a garden morning — soft light, fresh flowers, and the optimistic, floral energy of the season's first gathering.
- The Flourish: Set up a Mimosa Bar — the lavender lemonade in a dispenser, several bottles of chilled sparkling wine nearby, and bowls of berries, edible flowers, mint, and citrus so guests refresh their own throughout the luncheon. For anyone skipping alcohol, chilled sparkling water, club soda, or a nonalcoholic sparkling wine makes a version every bit as festive.