Venice, Italy

Rossini

Also known as Strawberry Bellini

The Rossini is basically a Bellini that swaps peach for fresh strawberries, making it brighter and a little sharper.

strawberrysparklingfruitybrunchlightbubblyitalianrefreshingsweet

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip hits you with the sweet, ripe flavor of crushed berries, followed by the dry, toasty bite of the bubbles. It finishes clean with a tart, fruity edge that lingers at the back of your mouth.

Who will like it

Great for people who like dry, bubbly drinks but want a touch of real fruit sweetness without it tasting like a syrupy cocktail.

When to drink

Pour this for a weekend brunch or as a bright start to a dinner party before the food hits the table.

Ordering tip

Ask the bartender if they use real puree or store-bought syrup, because the fresh version is worlds apart from the sweet bottled stuff.

Ice: NoneTemp: ColdCost: $2–$5Glass: FluteBatch-friendlyMake aheadHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a straightforward, easy-drinking sparkling cocktail. The fresh strawberry flavor hits right away, sweet and a little tart, before the dry, bready wine steps in to dry it out. It is light, crisp, and very easy to drink quickly on a warm day. There is not much depth or bitterness to slow you down, just fruit and bubbles. The finish is short and clean, leaving a faint berry sweetness behind.

Finish: The finish is short and crisp, with a little tart berry bite that fades quickly into the dryness of the wine.

Primary tastes

sweetfruity

Secondary

sourfloral

Aroma

fresh strawberriesyeastblossom

Sweetnessmoderately sweet
The strawberry purée brings a noticeable sweetness that is held in check by the dry wine.
Sournessmild acidity
A slight tartness from the berries and the natural acidity of the Prosecco gives the drink some shape.
Strengthlow alcohol
This is a light drink, mostly wine and fruit, so it sits easy and will not overwhelm you.
Refreshingvery refreshing
Cold, bubbly, and fruity, this drink is built for hot weather and easy sipping.
Complexitystraightforward
You get exactly what you expect: strawberries and sparkling wine, with no hidden layers.

Recipe

Make it at home

Built · Flute · equal parts on Prosecco. Brut Prosecco recommended to balance the fruit sweetness

Before you start

Make sure your Prosecco is fully chilled, and keep your glass in the freezer for a few minutes if you have the time. If you are making the purée from scratch, wash and hull the strawberries before blending.

Ingredients

ProseccoBase SpiritChilled100ml
Strawberry PuréeOtherFresh strawberries muddled or blended and strained30ml

Garnish: Whole Strawberry

Tools

Champagne Flute · Serving
Holds the drink and keeps the bubbles concentrated
At home: White wine glass
Bar Spoon · Mixing
Gently stir the purée and wine together without killing the carbonation
At home: Long teaspoon or chopstick
Blender · optional · Mixing
Blend fresh strawberries into a smooth purée
At home: Fork for muddling
Fine Mesh Strainer · optional · Straining
Strain out seeds if you want a smoother purée

Steps

1
If making fresh purée, toss a handful of hulled strawberries into a blender and run it until smooth. Press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer with the back of a spoon to catch the seeds, giving you a clean liquid.
!Leaving the seeds in makes the final drink gritty when you get to the bottom of the glass.
2
Pour 30ml of the strawberry purée into your chilled Champagne flute. Tilt the glass slightly to help the purée coat the bottom evenly.
!Pouring the purée too fast can splash it up the sides of the glass, making the drink look messy.
3
Slowly pour 100ml of chilled Prosecco down the inside wall of the tilted glass. The tilt helps the wine mix gently with the purée so you do not lose all your fizz in a foam-over.
!Pouring the wine straight down into the purée causes a violent bubble-up and makes a mess.
4
Take your bar spoon and give the drink one or two slow, gentle stirs from the bottom just to pull the purée up through the wine. You will see the pale pink color spread through the glass when it is mixed.
!Stirring too fast or too much will knock the gas out of the wine and leave the drink flat.
5
Set a fresh strawberry with the stem still on right on the rim of the glass. Serve it right away while it is still icy cold and the bubbles are active.

Serve

Serve it right after you stir it, while the bubbles are still rising. A flute keeps it cold and fizzy longer than a wide glass.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Prosecco

ProseccoCava
Match
Common availability
Prosecco → Cava: Adds a slightly leaner, crisper apple note compared to the softer Prosecco.
ProseccoChampagne
Match
Common availability
Prosecco → Champagne: Brings a toastier, more yeasty backbone and sharper bubbles to the drink.

Swap options for Strawberry Purée

Strawberry PuréeRaspberry Purée
Match
Common availability
Strawberry Purée → Raspberry Purée: Makes the drink tarter and more vibrant, shifting the flavor toward the Tintoretto.
Strawberry PuréePeach Purée
Match
Common availability
Strawberry Purée → Peach Purée: Turns the drink into a classic Bellini with a softer, rounder fruit profile.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Bellini

The Bellini uses white peach purée instead of strawberry, giving it a softer, less tart fruit profile.

Match

Both drinks are light and fruity sparklers, but the Rossini has a brighter, more acidic bite from the strawberries, whereas the Bellini feels softer and more delicate with peach.

In common: Built in flute, Sparkling wine base, Fruit purée mixer, Italian origin, Low ABV

Ingredients

Both share

Prosecco

Only in Rossini

Strawberry Purée

Only in Bellini

White Peach Purée

The only difference is the fruit, but it changes the whole personality of the drink. Strawberry brings a sharper, brighter edge, while peach makes it rounder and more mellow.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Dry sparkling backbone, Light body, Fruity sweetness

How Bellini differs

Sharper tartness, Brighter red fruit flavor, Less mellow finish

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Tintoretto

The Tintoretto uses raspberry purée, which makes it more tart and intensely flavored than the gentler strawberry version.

Match

The Tintoretto is the sharper of the two, with a bracing tartness from the raspberries, while the Rossini stays a bit sweeter and easier to sip.

In common: Built in flute, Sparkling wine base, Red fruit purée, Italian origin

Ingredients

Both share

Prosecco

Only in Rossini

Strawberry Purée

Only in Tintoretto

Raspberry Purée

Swapping strawberry for raspberry shifts the drink from mellow red fruit to a punchier, more sour berry profile.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Red fruit character, Dry bubbly finish, Light and refreshing

How Tintoretto differs

More tart, Deeper berry flavor, Less sweetness

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Mimosa

A Mimosa uses orange juice and is typically served in a larger glass with equal parts juice and wine, making it less sweet and more citrus-driven.

Match

A Mimosa is sharper and thinner with a clean citrus acidity, while the Rossini is sweeter, softer, and tastes more like dessert fruit than breakfast juice.

In common: Built in flute, Sparkling wine base, Fruit juice mixer, Brunch staple

Ingredients

Only in Rossini

Prosecco, Strawberry Purée

Only in Mimosa

Champagne, Orange Juice

The Mimosa relies on fresh citrus juice for a sharp, clean bite, while the Rossini uses a thicker purée for a sweeter, heavier fruit texture.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Light and refreshing, Fruit-forward, Low alcohol

How Mimosa differs

Citrus vs berry, Thinner mouthfeel, Less sweet

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

Giuseppe Cipriani at Harry's Bar in Venice created the Rossini alongside the Bellini and the Tintoretto as variations on his original sparkling wine and purée formula. The drink is named after the Italian composer Gioachino Rossini, continuing Cipriani's habit of naming drinks after Italian artists.

Creator: Giuseppe Cipriani
Era: 1940s
Confidence

The Rossini is a well-established variation of the Bellini, though exact proportions vary by venue and personal taste.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Make the purée the night before and keep it in the fridge so it is ready to go.
Use Brut Prosecco so the drink does not end up cloying.
Chill the wine and the glasses well before you start pouring.
Stir gently and slowly to keep the bubbles alive as long as possible.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Using cheap sweet sparkling wine will make the drink taste like flat soda.
Stirring too fast will kill the carbonation and leave the drink flat.
Using cold strawberry purée straight from the fridge will warm the drink down.