Bellini Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/24/23
Tested by
Sean Michael Johnson
Photo of Sean Michael Johnson
Tested by Sean Michael Johnson
Sean is an award-winning bartender with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the head bartender at the two-Michelin-star restaurant, Gabriel Kreuther, crafting cocktail menus that have caught international attention. To date, he has made over 1 million cocktails, and counting.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Bellini cocktail garnished with a white peach slice in a champagne flute and standing on a pink-hued surface

The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Prep: 8 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 8 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
187 Calories
1g Fat
25g Carbs
2g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 187
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 6mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 21g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 15mg 76%
Calcium 24mg 2%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 524mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This popular sparkling wine cocktail is made with Prosecco and white peach puree. The Bellini makes a great brunch cocktail, but it's also fantastic when served before dinner. It's delightfully delicate in flavor and very easy to make.

The Best Peaches for Bellinis

A beautiful pale pink color, the original Bellini is made with white peaches, although many versions use yellow peaches because they are more widely available and ripen faster and better. Use either for this recipe.

If possible, use peaches that are ripe and in season, which is late-June through August. If you're craving a Bellini other months of the year, use frozen peaches. (See the instructions for that variation below.)

This recipe makes enough peach puree to make six Bellini cocktails with one bottle of Prosecco.

The Best Sparkling Wine for Bellinis

Bellinis are traditionally made with Prosecco, but you can really use any decent sparkling wine. Aim for a mid-grade wine — you want something better than bottom shelf, but save the really fancy stuff to drink on its own. A dry to extra dry Prosecco or sparkling wine is perfect for a sweet peachy Bellini.

Why is it Called a Bellini?

The Bellini cocktail was created in 1948 at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy by bartender Giuseppe Cipriani. It was named after the Italian Renaissance painter Giovanni Bellini because, supposedly, the drink's color reminded Cipriani of the painter's preferred warm and subdued color palette.

What's the Difference Between a Mimosa and Bellini?

The Bellini is made with Prosseco and peach puree, whereas Mimosas are made with champagne and orange juice (or sometimes another more affordable type of sparkling wine instead of champagne) .

Tips For Making the Best Peach Puree

Our instructions for making the puree calls for four peaches. This should yield around 1 1/2 cups of puree with the added ice, which is enough for six Bellinis.


Here are a few tips on how to make a great puree for your drink:

  • Remove the peach skin if you like, but it's not necessary. Be sure to rinse the fruit before cutting, though. For a finer texture, strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer to make it more juice-like.
  • Choose a few peach varieties and combine them into the puree to experiment with the flavor.
  • Use frozen peaches if you can't find fresh but be sure they don't have freezer burn. Let them thaw completely before pureeing.
  • The lemon juice acts as a preservative so a homemade peach puree should be good in the refrigerator for up to one week in a well-sealed container.


Make Ahead

The peach puree can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week until you are ready to serve the Bellinis. Wait to add the prosecco to each individual glass with some of the peach puree so that the drinks are as bubbly and fresh as possible.

0:34

Click Play to See This Perfect Peach Bellini Recipe Come Together

"Believe it or not, having a truly good Bellini is incredibly rare. 99% of the time the cocktail will have any number of elements wrong. This recipe includes all the components that make a Bellini great: fresh peaches, sweet, sour, and prosecco. It seems so simple, yet this Bellini is a bit of a unicorn." —Sean Johnson

Bellini Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Peach Puree:

  • 4 medium white peaches, pitted and quartered

  • 3 ice cubes

  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste

  • 1/2 tablespoon sugar, or 3/4 ounce simple syrup, to taste

For One Cocktail:

  • 2 ounces peach puree

  • 4 ounces chilled prosecco or sparkling wine

  • Peach slice, for garnish

Steps to Make It

Make the Peach Puree

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for peach puree recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  2. In a blender or food processor, add the peaches, ice, lemon juice, and sugar (or syrup).

    White peach quarters, ice, lemon juice, and sugar added to a blender

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  3. Blend until smooth.

    Peach mixture pureed smooth in a blender

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  4. Taste and add more sweetener or lemon juice as needed.

    Thick smooth peach puree in a blender

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Make the Bellini

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Bellini cocktail recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  2. Pour a measurement of peach puree into one Champagne flute.

    About an inch height of peach puree being poured into a champagne flute

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  3. Slowly top with sparkling wine while gently stirring to incorporate. If you like, garnish with a slice of peach, either slit and rested on the rim or dropped into the glass.

    Store the remaining peach puree for up to a week, or continue making additional Bellinis.

    Peach puree in champagne flutes topped with foaming sparkling wine

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Frozen Peach Puree Variation

  • Frozen peaches will work in a pinch. Simply defrost 1 1/2 pounds of frozen sliced peaches, either on the counter or overnight in the refridgerator, then follow the recipe for the puree above.
  • For garnishing the drink, frozen slices of peach are a great option if you're going to drop the garnish into the glass. It will keep the Bellini cool without any dilution.

Bellini Variations and Substitutions

  • Peach juice or peach nectar can be used as a substitute for the peach puree.
  • A shot of peach schnapps will create a wonderful peachy drink.
  • Add a dash of raspberry liqueur like Chambord, which is used in some versions of the Bellini. Delicious but not original to the drink.
  • Try an NA option with the Baby Bellini, made with nonalcoholic sparkling cider instead of prosecco.


How Strong Is a Bellini?

The Bellini is great for brunch because it is a low-proof cocktail. It's really no stronger than the average glass of sparkling wine, even a little less because of the puree. On average, the Bellini's alcohol content is just 7 percent ABV (14 proof). Double that if you choose to pour the schnapps.