Peach Purée Vs Nectar: Which Is Best For Bellinis?

When it comes to boozy brunch pairings, you really can't go wrong with a classic peach Bellini. While many recipes for this fun and refreshing cocktail feature peach purée alongside Prosecco, others call for peach nectar, which is a combination of peach juice, sweetener, and either lime or lemon juice. We here at Mashed never want to leave your brunch plans hanging in the balance, so we sought out an expert opinion on whether purée or nectar is best when crafting a peach Bellini.

Natalie Migliarini is an author, creator, cocktailian, influencer, social media maven, and founder of Beautiful Booze. Her extensive expertise made her the perfect person to field this question, and her answers highlighted the importance of flavor balance in this cocktail. According to Migliarini, "Fresh peach purée results in a more authentic, high-quality Bellini, compared to nectar which can be overly sweet." She also stated that purée has a "stronger peach flavor," which can make for a livelier beverage in the taste department.

Prosecco is a sparkling wine hailing from Italy that's notable for its elevated acidity and fruity, floral notes. Consisting of blended peaches and an optional sweetener (such as honey), peach purée is brimming with fresh fruit flavor. Unlike nectar, peach purée is much less likely to become cloying when used in this cocktail. However, Natalie Migliarini encouraged home bartenders to keep the balance between the sparkling wine and the purée in mind when crafting Bellinis.

Migliarini advises "a 3:1 ratio of Prosecco to peach purée," as these portions allow "the fresh peach flavor to shine without overpowering the Prosecco's light, effervescent qualities." You can also tweak the recipe even further, as Bellinis can feature more than just Prosecco and peach purée (optional ingredients include raspberries, simple syrup, and sorbet). Bellinis were inspired by the Renaissance-era paintings of Giovanni Bellini, which were often awash in the same pinkish-orange colors synonymous with the cocktail. In this sense, Bellinis are a bona fide work of art, especially when you abide by Migliarini's words of wisdom.