On a day when it’s supposed to be all about Her, there is no reason She should have to tolerate a less-than-stellar drink. That’s the point of writer Eric Felten’s Wall Street Journal column about Mimosas from this weekend’s paper: At many restaurants, the Mimosa has become “a drink in which mediocre orange juice is employed to mask the taste of wretched wine.”

Felten says the drink is “almost always a wreck” in restaurants where “stuff from a carton” is used instead of freshly squeezed OJ. Plus, he seethes, “the average restaurant figures it can manufacture brunch cocktails with the cheapest of small-C champagnes and no one will notice, care, or complain.”

He goes on and does a sweet little history of the drink, and ends off by recommending you whip up a Buck’s Fizz for Mama instead of that dastardly cliche of a Mother’s Day brunch beverage. If it’s too late and she’s already been subject to this sub-par sorrow-in-a-glass, surprise her later this afternoon with a plate of dried meats and a Buck’s Fizz for the both of you.

Also worth reading in the Journal is the Tastings column by Dottie and John about Barbera, known to one of their good wine friends as the “happy wine.”

Here’s why their friend says that, and why their column is titled “Fit for a Summer Feast”: “It has so much adaptability to the broad gamut of summer foods … I particularly love it with hamburgers and chicken right off the grill. It works well with chicken salads and meat salads. I have no hesitation using it with freshly grilled steaks. My preference is to drink Barbera ever so lightly chilled. Sitting on the patio and enjoying the sensation is immeasurable.”

Last night, as Hot Plates entertained a crew of family members with takeout from the famed Urban Bar-B-Que (Soul Rolls! Redneck Fondue! and those wings!), we served an assortment of wines including a Barbera (a 2005 Fratelli Ponte Barbera D’Asti; $10). We wish we had known to serve it lightly chilled, as Dottie and John’s friend suggests.

FYI, Urban Bar-B-Que has just opened its Silver Spring location, for anyone reading who loves their stuff. Good news for those of us who don’t want to trek all the way out to Rockville!

The other wine that went so beautifully with our meal was an icy-cold Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon rose (Chateau Suau, 2007; about $11). What mom doesn’t adore a cold glass of pink cheer?