Bellini cocktail in a bottle? Sounds like a perfect way to toast the Italian Heritage Month!
Seventy-two years ago, Giuseppe Cipriani was on the hunt for a cocktail recipe to celebrate peace in the wake of World War II.
His restaurant, Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy, was already serving an extraordinary clientele (as it still does today), from European countesses to foreign writers, like Ernest Hemingway. But Giuseppe wanted to invent something new and unheard of.
Peaches are abundant in Italy during the summer, and Giuseppe had a weakness for small white ones. He began to purée the delicate fragrant fruit, mixing it with bubbles of Prosecco. The result – a slightly fizzy nectar – was an instant hit.
At that time, Giuseppe saw the paintings of Giambellino, a Venetian Renaissance artist, whose works were on display at the nearby Palazzo Ducale. The glowing shades of pink resembled the peaches used in his cocktail recipe. Thus, the “Bellini” was born.
In honor of Italian Heritage Month and Giuseppe’s legacy, Cipriani created a new aesthetic for their signature cocktail to celebrate peace, art, and freedom evoked in the original recipe.
The Bellini Cipriani is now sold by the bottle in all major liquor stores, including Mr. Wright in Manhattan, and can be purchased online. Here’s to Italian heritage! Cin cin!