Lemon Bellini

With a zesty punch of citrus flavour, the Lemon Bellini is a lightly tart and refreshing cocktail that is sure to revitalize you on a sultry evening. This vodka-based drink is made with softened lemon sorbet combined with either sparkling wine or rose champagne and citrus vodka topped with a slice of lemon, chopped kumquats and raspberries.

The Lemon Bellini is a unique take on the much-loved bellini, which is primarily made with peaches instead of lemon. It is believed that Kim Haasarud adapted this lemony variant from 101 Champagne Cocktails. However, some people do opine that the Lemon Bellini can also be made without alcohol and still remain a cool summer drink for youngsters and non-alcoholics.

An IBA official drink, the origin of the Bellini can be traced back to sometime between 1934 and 1948, invented by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy. The peach-pink colour of the drink reminded him of a saint’s toga in a painting by 15th-century artist Giovanni Bellini, thus naming the drink after him. The beverage started as a seasonal specialty until it reached the bar’s newest branch in New York where it received immense love and popularity, making it available all year round.

An authentic glass of Bellini is made with pureed white peaches and Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) along with a dash of raspberry or cherry juice for the unique pink hue. Scarcity of an ingredient’s availability has rendered equally beautiful beverages like in California where yellow peaches, peach nectars, or other alternate fruits are substituted during the off-season. 

Sometimes Prosecco is altered with the use of sparkling wine for the cocktail. For the non-alcoholic counterpart, sparkling juice or seltzer is used as a base.