Bellini - (cocktail)

We've recently tried Peach Nectar and a Spanish sparkling wine (cava). The classic cocktail known as the Bellini is nothing more than a mix of these two beverages. Well, that isn't entirely true. Let me explain.

To make a real deal Bellini, you need a fresh peach. A fresh white peach that you pit, but not peel. Cut it into cubes, add it to a blender with a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and a teaspoon of simple syrup (sugar and water heated together to make a syrup). Blend those ingredients together and pour a couple of ounces into a champagne flute. Top it off with a dry sparkling wine and, voila, you have a Bellini.

I cheated. The recipe for peach nectar is peaches, water, sugar, and lemon juice. Sounds familiar to the paragraph above, no? So, I used a couple of ounces of the Hero Peach Nectar from my one liter bottle and then some of the Segura Viudas Brut Reserva to top it off. Far simpler. Perhaps not as complex or tasty, but I don't have to wash the blender. And, this peach nectar isn't made with white peaches. No problem, though, yellow peaches taste just as good.

According to The Bar Guide by Williams-Sonoma, the Bellini was created by Harry Cipriani in 1948. Here's why the peach color is important. Harry operated Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy. He liked the artist Jacopo Bellini. Apparently, the color of this concoction reminded him of some of the pinks used in Bellini's paintings. So he named the drink after the artist.

Presentation/Appearance - 5/10 It looks like a cloudy orange juice (or a Mimosa because of the flute.)

Nose/Aroma - 5/10 Neither wine nor fruit sallies forth to be smelled. Kind of boring.

Taste/Flavor - 8/10 Wow, this is better than a Mimosa. Sparkling peach, sweet and dry, the two beverages complement each other to the point where one ends as the other begins, before the overlap and reverse roles. Complex and tasty.

Finish/Satisfaction - 9/10 Satisfying is the appropriate word. This should be a weekend brunch staple when peaches are in season. This would serve as a fine aperitif for breakfast, but the fruity sweetness would also add to the culinary experience. Make the sparkling wine is bone dry, though. A sweet wine would tip the balance toward dessert flavors.

Overall - 7.7/10 This has become one of my favorite wine-based cocktails. I'll have to try the traditional recipe and also mix the nectars with different wines. This cava with this nectar make a drink that is superior to either beverage alone.

What sort of brunch cocktails do you prefer? Spicy Bloody Marys? Mimosas? Screwdrivers?