When discussing spirited brunch combinations, you truly can’t go wrong with a timeless peach Bellini. While various recipes for this enjoyable and invigorating cocktail include peach purée mixed with Prosecco, others demand peach nectar, which combines peach juice, a sweetener, and either lime or lemon juice. Here at Mashed, we never wish to leave your brunch aspirations uncertain, so we reached out to an expert to determine whether purée or nectar is more suitable for creating a peach Bellini.
Natalie Migliarini is an author, creator, cocktail enthusiast, influencer, social media expert, and the founder of Beautiful Booze. Her vast experience made her an ideal candidate to address this inquiry, and her responses underscored the significance of flavor equilibrium in this cocktail. Migliarini stated, “Fresh peach purée yields a more genuine, high-quality Bellini, in comparison to nectar which can be excessively sweet.” She added that purée possesses a “more pronounced peach flavor,” potentially resulting in a more vibrant beverage in terms of taste.
Achieving the ideal Prosecco-to-purée ratio
Prosecco is a sparkling wine originating from Italy, recognized for its high acidity and fruity, floral characteristics. Composed of blended peaches and an optional sweetener (like honey), peach purée is filled with fresh fruit essence. Unlike nectar, peach purée is significantly less likely to become overly sweet when incorporated into this cocktail. However, Natalie Migliarini urged home mixologists to maintain a sense of balance between the sparkling wine and purée while preparing Bellinis.
Migliarini recommends “a 3:1 ratio of Prosecco to peach purée,” as these portions enable “the fresh peach flavor to shine through without overwhelming the Prosecco’s delicate, sparkling qualities.” You can also adjust the recipe further since Bellinis can contain more than just Prosecco and peach purée (optional ingredients may include raspberries, simple syrup, and sorbet). Bellinis were inspired by the Renaissance paintings of Giovanni Bellini, often characterized by the same pinkish-orange hues associated with the cocktail. In this regard, Bellinis are a genuine work of art, particularly when you heed Migliarini’s insightful advice.
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