The Bellini, named after the Venetian painter Giovanni Bellini (1430-1516), was created by Harry’s Bar’s founder Giuseppe Cipriani, most likely in the early 1940s. The pink color of the drink reminded Cipriani of Bellini’s paintings, especially the togas of many of the saints.

The drink was originally – due to the seasonality of white peaches – a very seasonal speciality only available at Harry’s Bar. White peaches eventually became available in the United States, and with them, the Bellini became one of the most popular cocktails in the States.

The Bellini:

  • 3 ounces white peach purée
  • 5 ounces chilled prosecco
  • 1 peach slice

The Steps:

Pour the peach purée into a chilled champagne flute and slowly add the prosecco, all while stirring gently. Use peach slice for garnish.

Variations:

If peach purée is unavailable, one can substitute 1 ounce of peach nectar. This will yield decent results, but will not be as flavorful. Another variation, the Bombay Bellini, uses both peach purée (2 ounces) and mango purée (2 ounces). Add 0.25 ounce peach brandy and one or two dashes of fresh lemon juice. Slowly top off with 3 ounces of chilled prosecco.

Back to Classic Cocktails

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