The Famous Bellini Cocktail

This famous cocktail was created in 1948 at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy by bartender Giuseppe Cipriani. It was named after the Italian Renaissance painter Giovanni Bellini because, supposedly, the drink's color reminded Cipriani of the painter's preferred warm and subdued color palette. This popular sparkling wine cocktail is made with Prosecco and white peach puree. It's delightfully delicate in flavor and very easy to make.

Of a beautiful pale pink color, the original Bellini is made with white peaches, although most versions use yellow peaches because they are more available and ripen faster and better. When peaches are out of season, canned or even frozen peaches will work, but the sugar content in some canned peaches can make the drink overly sweet, so choose unsweetened canned peaches if you can't find fresh. For garnishing the drink, frozen slices of peach are a great option if you're going to drop the garnish into the glass. It will keep the Bellini colder without any dilution.

The Bellini makes a great brunch cocktail, but it's also fantastic when served before or with dinner. The classic Bellini needs Prosseco, but it's often made with Champagne, which tends to yield a drier drink—unless you choose a sec or demi-sec wine. Any sparkling wine will make a great flute, although not a true Bellini.