Move over mimosa, the Bellini is the fabulously fruity sparkling wine cocktail you need for summer entertaining and here are 3 easy ways to make it.
From brunch to lunch and into the evening, a Bellini is the anytime cocktail of the summer. All you need to do is pop a bottle of prosecco and pour it over a simple fruit puree – go classic with peach or give it a spin with other summer fruit blends. Here are three easy recipes – one traditional and two flavour twists, including a frosé-inspired fizz for balmy days. Bellissimo!
Ingredients (serves 2)
Method
Tip: To save time, swap the diced peaches in syrup for good-quality bought peach juice.
Ingredients (serves 2)
Method
Ingredients (serves 2)
Method
The Bellini was born in the legendary Harry’s Bar in Venice, a famous hangout of Hemingway and friends in the 30s and 40s. Founder Giuseppi Cipriani is said to have named the cocktail after a Venetian painter known for his use of vibrant colour and used raspberry juice to accentuate the pink stain from the white peach skins in the freshly made puree. These days Bellinis are enjoyed all over the world and often made with yellow peach puree or peach nectar for convenience outside the summer peach season. Prosecco is the traditional ingredient in a Bellini, but it can also be made with other sparkling wines or Champagne (this version is known as a Bellini Royale).
So, you know the difference between prosecco and champagne, but are you across all the different types of prosecco? We’re not just talking Aussie vs Italian prosecco, but the sometimes confusing categories of sweetness you’ll see on prosecco labels, such as Extra Dry and Brut. The driest category is actually Brut (less than 12g sugar/L), followed by Extra Dry (12-17g/L), then Dry (17-32g/L) and finally Demi-Sec (32-50g/L). These last two make great dessert wines, while Extra Dry proseccos are great all-rounders – the hint of sweetness is perfect in fruity cocktails like the Bellini. Need a great food match? Try nectarine, ricotta & pancetta pizza or grilled prawn cocktail bruschetta.
If you’re looking for the best prosecco to buy for making Bellinis, you can’t go wrong with Brilla Prosecco. An extra-dry style of DOC prosecco, it tastes crisp, delicate and balanced with peach and green apple aromas. This prosecco is perfect for a classic Bellini or a pale-coloured twist on Bellini, such as our lychee and vanilla version. For pink-hued Bellinis like the original Harry’s Bar version or our frosé Bellini, pick up Brilla Prosecco Rosé and enjoy the delicious berry-cherry notes.
