The Bellini is a sparkling expression of Italian glamour. Born in Venice, it combines crisp Prosecco with the delicate sweetness of fresh white peach purée. This cocktail feels like a summer morning along the Grand Canal, light shimmering on the water, conversations flowing at a café terrace, and every sip capturing both festivity and refinement.
✨ What Makes the Cocktail Unique?
The Bellini is all about subtle luxury. Unlike stronger cocktails, it celebrates freshness and lightness, blending fruit and bubbles into a drink that is graceful and celebratory. Its pastel hues and gentle sweetness make it approachable for almost everyone. It is not intense but rather elegant, turning simple ingredients into a drink that is iconic across brunch tables and aperitivo hours worldwide.
📖 Recipe
Servings: 1
Time: Under 5 minutes
Difficulty: Delightfully Easy
🍹 Ingredients
- 2 oz white peach purée (fresh if possible)
- 4 oz chilled Prosecco (sparkling wine from Italy)
- Optional: 0.5 oz peach liqueur for extra sweetness and depth
🥂 Preparation Steps
- Prepare your peach purée by blending fresh peeled white peaches until smooth. Strain if needed for a velvety texture.
- Pour the peach purée into a chilled flute glass.
- Gently top with Prosecco, pouring slowly to preserve the bubbles.
- Stir lightly and carefully to combine without losing effervescence.
- Serve immediately, no garnish necessary, although a peach slice can be added for flair.
🍑 Variations & Tips
- If fresh peaches are unavailable, use high-quality peach nectar as an alternative.
- For a slightly stronger drink, add a splash of peach liqueur or even a drop of raspberry purée for a sunset-hued twist.
- Always chill both the flute and the Prosecco to keep the cocktail crisp and sparkling.
🌞 Perfect Setting
The Bellini is perfect for brunches, garden parties, weddings, or any celebration that calls for sparkle and charm. Its elegance lies in its simplicity. It is the kind of drink that pairs equally well with laughter under the sun or a toast to new beginnings. Raise your flute and enjoy the golden light of Venice’s legacy. Salute!
📜 From Venice with Love
The Bellini was created in 1948 at Harry’s Bar in Venice, a famed gathering place for artists, writers, and travelers. The bar’s founder, Giuseppe Cipriani, crafted the drink by blending fresh white peach purée with sparkling Prosecco. Its rosy glow reminded him of the colors in paintings by Venetian Renaissance artist Giovanni Bellini, giving the cocktail both its name and its artistic aura.
Originally served to Venetian high society and international visitors, the Bellini quickly earned fame beyond Italy’s borders. By the mid-20th century it had become synonymous with sophisticated celebrations, especially as Harry’s Bar attracted celebrities and cultural icons from Ernest Hemingway to Orson Welles.
Today, the Bellini remains a classic of Italian aperitivo culture, standing as a joyful symbol of Venice itself. Each sip reflects the artistry, lightness, and elegance for which the city and its traditions are celebrated worldwide.
Image by Tim Reckmann.