Raspberry Bellini

A Raspberry Bellini is a sparkling cocktail built on the foundations of the classic Bellini, traditionally made with prosecco and white peach purée but with three upgrades worth knowing about.

First, raspberry purée replaces the classic white peach for a deeper, more vibrant fruit flavor. Second, we swap prosecco for champagne, giving the drink a more luxurious, celebratory feel. And third, we add vodka for a clean spirit backbone that gives this Bellini a little more body than the original.

Imagine the effervescent elegance of a classic Bellini, then add a burst of sweet-tart raspberry and a clean, smooth vodka backbone that ties everything together. The champagne keeps things bright and fizzy, bringing a natural minerality and dryness that elevates the drink, the raspberry purée delivers a rich fruit flavor, and the vodka adds just enough depth to make this feel like a proper cocktail rather than just a sparkling drink.

The Bellini is said to have been created sometime between 1934 and 1948 at a legendary bar in Venice, Italy. Initially a seasonal specialty tied to the white peach harvest, the drink found its way onto menus year-round after fresh white peach purée became more widely available and the rest, as they say, is cocktail history.

The Raspberry Bellini is a natural evolution of that beloved classic, swapping white peach purée for raspberry purée for a modern twist that feels right at home in today’s cocktail culture. There is no documented history for the Raspberry Bellini specifically but it likely appeared in the late 20th century or even early 21st century.

At Absolut Drinks, we started mixing our own take on the Raspberry Bellini around 2014, using champagne instead of prosecco and adding Absolut Vodka.

• Make your own raspberry purée
  Raspberry is the star of this drink, so the better the purée, the better the cocktail. We highly recommend making your own instead of using a store‑bought version – it’s fresher, more tart yet sweeter, and above all, more flavorful, with no additives. See the FAQ to learn how to make your own raspberry purée.
• Keep your ingredients perfectly chilled
  Keep your vodka in the freezer and your champagne well chilled. Pour the champagne straight from the fridge for the best fizz and freshest flavor. Frozen vodka takes on a silky, almost syrupy texture that makes the drink even smoother.
• Add the champagne last 
  Always add the champagne last and pour it slowly. This preserves the bubbles and gives you that beautiful, effervescent finish.
• Chill your glass first
  Pop your champagne glass in the freezer for about 30 minutes before serving. A well‑chilled glass keeps your Raspberry Bellini colder for longer, and helps preserve the bubbles.
• Taste as you go
  Raspberry purées vary in sweetness, so adjust the amount to suit your palate before adding the champagne.

• Traditional Raspberry Bellini
  Skip the vodka and champagne and stick to raspberry purée and prosecco for a traditional take.
• Raspberry Bellini with raspberry-flavored vodka
  Stick to the recipe on this page but substitute original Absolut Vodka for Absolut Raspberri (raspberry-flavored vodka) to enhance and deepen the flavor of raspberry. Raspberry purée and raspberry vodka? You can only imagine how good it is!
• Strawberry Bellini
  Swap raspberry purée for fresh strawberry purée for a sweeter, more delicate flavor profile.
• Raspberry Rosé Bellini
  Replace the champagne with a good quality rosé sparkling wine. The subtle berry notes of the rosé marries perfectly with the raspberry purée.

• Like a classic Bellini, we recommend serving a Raspberry Bellini in a champagne flute to show off the color and the bubbles.
• Garnish with a fresh raspberry or three to add a visual element to the raspberry purée – simply drop them into your flute and watch them float. With those beautiful bubbles and that stunning pink color already doing the talking, you don’t want to over-garnish your drink.