Bellini Cocktail Recipe

We’ll never forget the first time that we sipped Bellini cocktails at Harry’s Bar in Venice for a few reasons. First, we were in the exact spot where the Bellini was invented. Second, it tasted wonderful. And third, each Bellini cost us 22 euros.

Lately, we’ve been crafting fresh peach Bellinis at home since white peaches are in peak season. As we’ve quickly learned, the key to a great Bellini is speed. This is an ala minute drink that’s a sight to behold if done quickly and with the freshest ingredients.

And, when it’s no longer summer, we can still drink Bellinis. However, instead of crafting them at home, we can buy pre-made Bellini cocktails at the grocery store. Hooray!

Regardless of the ingredient count, there’s do debate that the peach Bellini is a classic Italian cocktail that’s also a spritz. Other words to describe the Bellini are elegant, fruity and fun.

Discover more Italian cocktails.

It didn’t take long for the Bellini to become famous throughout Italy and beyond. While it’s still served at the original Harry’s Bar in Venice as well as at Cipriani locations around the world, the Bellini isn’t limited to those spots. It’s easy to find the peachy cocktail on menus at most bars as well as at many restaurants that serve brunch.

Fun Fact
Harry’s Bar also gets credit for serving the original version of beef carpaccio.

If you’ve been to Venice, you’ve probably walked by Harry’s Bar. The bar’s location, about a block from Piazza San Marco, makes it difficult to miss. Open since 1931, it’s located next to the Hotel Monaco, right by the Grand Canal.

And, if you’re like us, you channeled legends, past and present, including Humphrey Bogart, George Clooney, Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles by simply walking inside the bar’s art deco space.

You only need the following four ingredient to craft authentic Bellini cocktails at home:

While any sparkling wine would technically work in this recipe, we recommend using a good quality Italian Prosecco. After all, the Bellini is an Italian cocktail.

We like to use extra dry Prosecco produced by Albino Armani in the Veneto. It’s not expensive and, as a bonus, any leftover Prosecco tastes good on its own.

Discover more sparkling wine cocktails.

Peach purée is easy to whip up with peaches, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. For this recipe, the best peaches are white peaches.

We like to use Pessego Paragayo peaches (i.e. Paraguayan peaches). In America, these peaches are called donut peaches. However, we choose to call them bagel peaches since we love bagels even more than we love donuts.

You don’t need any special bar tools to craft a Bellini. In our recipe, we like to use the following two basic bar tools.

Neither of these bar tools is required to craft a Bellini cocktail at home. That being said, you’ll look ‘pro’ if you use tools like these when you craft a fresh peach Bellini for friends.

Discover 10 essential bar tools for the home mixologist.

The first step in this Bellini recipe is to make the peach purée. Start by cutting two medium or four small unpeeled white peaches in half. Discard the pits.

While some recipes specify that the peaches should be peeled, we like the color and texture that the peel provides. Just like we won’t judge you if you use yellow or frozen peaches, we also won’t judge you if you choose to peel your peaches.

Put the halved peaches, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup into a blender. Blend at high speed until the ingredients form a purée.

Pro Tip
Taste the purée while it’s in the blender to see if you want to add any additional lemon juice or simple syrup.

Immediately pour the peach purée and Prosecco into a shaker or mixing glass.

Pro Tip
Do not dilly-dally after you make the purée or the purée may turn brown.

Giuseppe Cipriani’s recipe is pretty perfect on its own. However, here are some ways that you can make the Bellini recipe your own: