Peach Bellini

Refreshingly sweet and light drink Peach Bellini made with fresh pureed peaches, sparkling wine, and a kiss of lemon. A simple drink yet makes an exciting fruity sparkling cocktail to kick off any parties! Perfect for brunch, dinner party, or a simple gathering!

You know how good a party is when they start serving the party drinks. Oh yeah! Peach Bellini is one of my favorites.

It has the perfect balance of sweetness with a little bit of tartness. And the added alcohol is not too overpowering. It’s very subtle and smooth. The perfect cocktail for those who want to party without really getting drunk.

And what I like about this Peach Bellini is that it’s suuuper easy to prepare. You can easily make it at home anytime you want to unwind with a glass of this lovely fruity cocktail. You’ll probably want to make this all summer long to keep you feel refreshed.

What is Peach Bellini?

This Peach Bellini is a decadent sweet and refreshingly good drink made with fresh pureed peaches and sparkling wine. It is known to be a popular fruity brunch cocktail that has its origin in 1984 at Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy by a bartender named Giuseppe Cipriani.

But instead of naming this drink after him, he went on to name it after an Italian Renaissance painter Giovanni Bellini. Surprisingly, it was named after Bellini as the drink’s color mirrored that of the painter’s preferred warm and subdued color palette.

What is the Difference Between a Bellini and a Mimosa?

If you’re a fan of brunch, you probably have noticed the similarities between Bellini and Mimosa. However, these two fruity cocktails are two different drinks. 

Mimosa is a classic morning drink made with sparkling wine or champagne and orange juice. Bellini on the other hand is somewhat cousins to Mimosa. Instead of orange juice, it’s made with peach puree. Traditionally, it’s made with Prosecco and white peaches (which are hard to find, by the way), but if you can’t find any, regular peaches would work great along with any kinds of sparkling wines.

Whether you love Mimosa’s citrusy flavor or Bellini’s sweet peach taste, you’ll have your taste buds thanking you for trying it out.

How Strong is a Bellini?

Oh, you don’t have to worry if you see me with a glass of this Peach Bellini as this cocktail here has a low-proof cocktail at 7% ABV or 14 proof. It’s actually no stronger than an average glass of sparkling wine.

Recipe Ingredients and Substitutes

This refreshing drink is very easy to make with a very short list of ingredients. And you can easily find them in your local grocery store. To get the party started, here’s what you’ll need:

• Peaches – Make sure to use the fresh and ripe ones for the best results. Because ripe peaches have the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. You can also use frozen or canned peaches for this peach bellini recipe. However, you might need to adjust the sugar if you’re going to use canned peaches.
• Lemon Juice – The addition of lemon juice to this frozen peach bellini highlights the sweetness of the fresh peaches. It also adds another layer of citrusy notes in the background. You can also replace lemon juice with orange or pineapple juice.
• Simple Syrup – It’s basically melting sugar in water. The use of simple syrup makes it easier to add sweetness to any drinks and even desserts. You can also use granulated sugar as a replacement. However, you may find the texture a little gritty if not mixed properly. Honey is a great substitute, too.
• Sparkling Wine or Champagne – Traditionally, Prosecco is used to make your own version of Secco peach bellini at home. But any type of sparkling wine or champagne works fine. You really don’t need to spend much on Prosecco. But of course, the quality of your sparkling wine determines the taste of your peach bellini wine.
• Fresh Mint – I like adding mint as a garnish not only because it’s pleasant to look at but also the added aroma and hint of mint are truly refreshing.

Recipe Variations

• Alcohol-Free Version – you can swap sparkling wine or champagne with an equal part of sparkling water and soda like 7-Up or Sprite. If soda is not your thing, a quick substitute would be sparkling water with a splash of lemon juice. 😉
• Virgin Peach Bellini – Make another alcohol-free frozen Peach Bellini with ginger ale or sparkling cider instead of sparkling wine.
• Paleo Version – Just replace sparkling wine with sparkling water with lemon or lime juice. And use honey instead of simple syrup. See, you can still enjoy the party even you’re on the paleo diet. 😉
• Fruity Substitutes – You can replace peach with other energizing fruits like mango, apricot, raspberry, plum, orange, and strawberry. I tried it with a combination of mango and raspberry and it’s truly remarkable! You should try it, too! 😉

Storing and Serving Instructions

• You can make the peach puree ahead of time and store it in an airtight container or glass jar with a lid.
• It can be stored safely in the fridge for about 2-3 days. Add a splash of lemon or lime to the peach puree to extend the shelf life for up to 1 week.
• Or store the peach puree in the freezer and it will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
• When ready to serve, just use the peach puree as instructed along with other ingredients.

Leftover Peach Bellini

• It’s best to consume the peach bellini within hours after making it to enjoy it nice and bubbly.
• Storing leftover peach bellini for a few days may lose its sparkling and bubbling properties.
• However, you can reuse the leftover peach puree and turn them into a peach bellini smoothie. Just freeze the leftovers in an ice cube tray and add some simple syrup and blend them using a blender or food processor. Transfer into a glass and enjoy!
• Or you can add yogurt or vanilla ice cream to make a peach milkshake. Yum!

FAQs

Serving Suggestions

Since this is a brunch cocktail, all I could think of is a good green salad  to go along with this or any of the following below:

• Chicken and Waffles
• Banana Pancakes
• Cinnamon Bread Rolls
• Spinach Quiche
• Chicken Alfredo

More Awesome Drinks to Try

• Mango Margarita
• Strawberry Lemonade
• Tropical Sangria

How to Make Peach Bellini

Make the Simple Syrup

• Combine – In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. (Photo 1)
• Bring to a boil – Keep stirring until sugar has dissolved- about 5-7 minutes. Let it cool. (Photo 2)

Make the Peach Puree

• Place peaches in a blender – and blend until puree. (Photos 3-4)
• Remove and add to jar.

Mix all the Ingredients

• Pour in a large pitcher – followed by lemon juice. (Photos 5-6)
• Then add syrup to taste – Stir until everything comes together. (Photo 7)
• Add sparkling wine. (Photo 8)
• Serve with ice cubes – Garnish with mint and sliced peaches.

Watch How To Make It

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This blog post was first published in May 2019 and has been updated with additional info and a video