The Dark Cherry Champagne Mimosa

The Dark Cherry Champagne Mimosa is the most intensely colored, most dramatically beautiful drink in the entire mimosa family. Tart Montmorency cherry juice — produced from the most cultivated sour cherry variety in North America — is a deep, jewel-like ruby-crimson that creates an extraordinary gradient in a champagne flute as it rises through pale Brut Champagne. The flavor is equally striking: tart, slightly earthy, distinctly cherry, with none of the artificial sweetness that mars lesser cherry drinks.

About Tart Cherries

The Montmorency cherry (*Prunus cerasus* 'Montmorency') is the dominant commercial sour cherry variety in the United States, accounting for over 95% of domestic sour cherry production. Named for the Montmorency Valley near Paris where the variety originated in the 17th century, it is grown primarily in Michigan, which produces approximately 75% of the US crop, with the season running from late June through mid-July.

Montmorency cherry juice has attracted considerable attention for its nutritional profile — particularly its anthocyanin content and documented effects on inflammation and sleep quality (melatonin). Traverse Bay Farms and Cheribundi both produce exceptional 100% tart cherry juice. Knudsen's and Eden Foods' Montmorency cherry juice are also reliable and widely available at Whole Foods and natural food stores.

This is not maraschino cherry juice — that artificially sweetened, artificially colored product produces a drink that tastes like a candy store, not a brunch table. Tart cherry juice, used here, is an entirely different ingredient.

Ingredients (serves 6): - 1 cup (8 oz) pure tart Montmorency cherry juice (Traverse Bay Farms, Cheribundi, or Knudsen Just Tart Cherry) - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - 1 tablespoon honey or simple syrup (adjust to taste — tart cherry juice is quite sour) - 1 bottle (25 oz chilled Champagne Brut NV or Crémant de Bourgogne - Fresh dark cherries (Bing or Rainier if available) and lemon twists for garnish - Optional: ½ oz Heering Cherry Liqueur per serving for greater depth (Heering)

Instructions: Stir cherry juice, lemon juice, and honey together until honey dissolves. Taste — the blend should be pleasantly tart with a clean cherry character. Adjust sweetness carefully: the Champagne will contribute dryness. Chill thoroughly.

Chill Champagne flutes for 5 minutes. Pour 1½ oz of the cherry blend into each flute — the deep crimson color against the glass is extraordinary. Top slowly with chilled Champagne, pouring down the side. The ruby juice will bloom upward through the pale wine creating a dramatic crimson-to-gold gradient. Do not stir. Garnish with 2–3 fresh dark cherries on a cocktail pick and a long lemon twist expressed over the glass surface.

For a Mimosa Bar (serves 12): - 2 cups tart cherry juice - 4 tablespoons lemon juice - 2–3 tablespoons honey - 3 oz Heering Cherry Liqueur (optional) - 2 bottles Champagne Brut, chilled

Variations: - Add a pinch of ground cinnamon and vanilla to the cherry blend for a Dark Cherry Spiced Champagne Mimosa — exceptional for autumn and winter entertaining. - Replace Champagne with sparkling rosé for a Double Cherry Rosé Mimosa with doubled pink-red visual impact. - Add a few drops of chocolate bitters (Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters) per serving for a sophisticated chocolate-cherry dimension.

Pairing: The tartness and earthy depth of Montmorency cherry make this mimosa exceptional alongside rich, creamy, or chocolate-forward brunch dishes — chocolate fondant, crème brûlée, and French toast with cream. The cherry's acidity also cuts through fatty dishes like charcuterie boards with remarkable effectiveness.

Pro Tips: Tart cherry juice is significantly more acidic than sweet cherry juice — taste the blend before serving and ensure the honey has fully dissolved. The honey is load-bearing flavor here, not optional sweetness; without it, the acidity may be unpleasantly sharp for some guests. Always use 100% pure tart cherry juice, not a cherry juice blend or cocktail.