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?

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva

The sparkling wines of Spain are known as cava.

This cava, the Brut Reserva from Segura Viudas, is made from traditional Spanish grape varieties: Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo. This particular wine, designated brut should be nice and dry.

Cavas must be made with a secondary fermentation in the bottle. This is what makes the wine bubbly. The inexpensive method of simply injecting CO2 into a still wine is not allowed if the winemaker wants to call their product a cava.

Despite being made like traditional Champagnes, cavas remain relatively inexpensive. This can't be because of the taste. Cavas are generally crispy and delicious. Must be a failure of marketing.

Presentation/Appearance - 7/10 Simple, classic label, vigorous pop from the cork, and lots of gunsmoke emanating from the bottle. Violent medium-sized bubbling on the pour that builds a huge white head and then falls flat quickly. The wine stays active though, settling into a fountain of tiny bubbles rising from the center of the flute. You can see this in the photo.

Nose/Aroma - 6/10 Cut flowers, without the perfume. Nothing substantial.

Taste/Flavor - 7/10 This is, indeed, dry. Crispy, very active bubbling on the tongue. This is the way a cava should taste. Light bodied, good acidity, very refreshing.

Finish/Satisfaction - 7/10 This definitely lingers on the tongue. The bubbles seem to push the wine around the palatee. Long finish, somewhat acidic, but not tart.

Overall - 6.85/10 Satisfying and above average. If this had smaller bubbles and a creamier mouthfeel it would have scored much higher.

I like cavas, but I also enjoy sparkling wines from Italy and the United States. Of course, I love champagnes, too, but the price point for those always seems a little crazy to me. This wine sold for about $10 to $12. Quite reasonable. I'd love to hear any sparkling wine recommendations you might have.