Everything You Need to Plan Mother’s Day Brunch (and Earn Favorite-Child Status)

A good kid knows that celebrating Mom isn’t reserved for a Hallmark holiday. But taking time to show your love, appreciation and care on Mother’s Day is a prime excuse to pull out all the stops and make her feel extra special. What better way to do this than with the time-honored tradition of a thoughtfully prepared brunch?

Naturally, a Wine Enthusiast-approved Mother’s Day brunch is centered around outstanding drinks (whether she’s a wine, cocktail or teetotaler mom), top-notch food and the people that come together over them. With that in mind, we’ve corralled some of our favorite recipes, bottles and equipment to help you pull off an event that will earn you favorite-child status (and have your mom bragging for years).

The Drinks

First things first: Consider what your mom enjoys drinking and choose accordingly.

Mimosas are hard to beat, and this recipe—a simple two-to-one ratio of sparkling wine to orange juice—is hard to beat. Any type of sparkling wine will do, but if you can, splurge for Champagne since it’s a special day. Another alternative to this classic brunch cocktail is the Sunshine Sipper, a blush-toned mixture of sparkling rosé, Cocci Americano, lavender bitters and lemon juice.

Other options for before-noon gatherings? The caffeinated carajillo and effervescent spritzes, including last year’s drink of the summer, the Hugo spritz. Low- and no-abv cocktails are also great, sessionable ways to make sure the party keeps going. There’s also something celebratory about a frozen cocktail, especially if the weather is skewing warmer—this frozen Painkiller, amped up with a hearty glug of rum, does the trick quite nicely. And if you’re planning a big celebration, a batched cocktail is the secret weapon of bartenders who’d rather be socializing than breaking a sweat with a shaker. For moms who like a stiff drink, this bourbon and Aperol-spiked Paper Plane recipe is easy to scale up into big batches.

Of course, for the oenophile, an easy-drinking spring wine is perfect for the season. We’ve also got recommendations for other of-the-moment wines, whether your mom is a lover of buttery Chardonnay or high-acidity Chenin Blanc. You could also snag a top red wine bottle and go the sangria route.

Below are some products to equip your drink station.