The Bellini is the quintessential summertime sipper, classic in its flavoring – white peach purée and prosecco – and simple in its assembly – the purée goes in the glass first, chilled sparkling comes next. But to elevate this minimalist drink to greatness, all the components have to be great. Here, we share the best purée, the best prosecco, the best proportions and even the best stemware to make the ultimate Bellini.
The Prosecco
Adami Brut Dry
“It’s designed to be bright, refreshing and crisp.” – Andrey Ivanov, general manager and beverage
director, Elaia and Olio
The Purée
Whether you make the purée at home or buy it from the store, be sure to chill well before serving.
DO IT YOURSELF
It’s completely worth it to make your own purée, especially right now as local peaches hit the market stands. A homemade purée tastes fresher than anything from a bottle. (Think of the difference between freshly squeezed orange juice versus OJ from a carton.) Ripe white peaches are spot-on sweet and lend the drink a beautiful coral hue. Peel, core, blend and sieve ’em in a fine-mesh strainer. It’s really that easy. Add a dash of simple syrup if your peaches need a touch of sugar. In a saucepan, combine equal parts granulated sugar and water. Stir. Let simmer on low heat until the sugar dissolves. Cool completely before using.
BUY IT
If you don’t have the time to make your own purée (or you want to make a Bellini once peach season has passed), you can still achieve ultimate results. Just grab a bottle of Stirrings Simple Peach Bellini Cocktail Mix – a pre-mixed blend of peach purée, white peach juice and orange juice. The citrus lends another fantastic layer of flavor.
THE PROPORTIONS
We tested and tested and found the primo ratio to be 1 ounce of purée to 3.5 ounces of sparkling wine. The sugar content, color and fragrance are perfect, and the flavor and effervescence of the wine are not overwhelmed.
Measure the ingredients. The best mixologists do it; there’s no reason why you shouldn’t too. We love the mini angled measuring cup from Oxo.
The Glasses
Vintage barware has made a roaring comeback among bars with serious drinking clientele, who sip their concoctions from glasses fit for a Gatsby. Our advice? Dig deep at Treasure Aisles Antique Mall, where we found mid-century crystal champagne flutes and saucers for just $4 each. We also love the timeless elegance of these stemless, etched and painted platinum berry glasses by Roost, available at Lusso in mid-July for $18 each.
This article appears in July 2013.