Venice, Italy

Tintoretto

The Tintoretto is essentially a Bellini made with red grape juice instead of peach, giving it a deep ruby color and a tart, tannic edge.

grapesparklingtartbrunchfruitylow-alcoholtannicrefreshingItalian

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip is bright and fruity with a sharp grape tartness that wakes up your palate. The middle softens as the bubbles carry the sweet, slightly jammy red grape flavors across your tongue. It finishes dry and a little grippy, with the grape skins leaving a tannic bite that makes you want another sip.

Who will like it

This is for people who like sparkling wine cocktails but want something with more tartness and structure than a sweet Bellini.

When to drink

Pour this as a brunch opener or an afternoon aperitif when you want something festive but not heavy.

Ordering tip

Ask the bartender if they use real fresh grape juice or puree, since bottled grape juice will make the drink taste like childhood lunchboxes.

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

Flavor

Taste profile

This drink is straightforward and fruit-forward, hitting you with fresh, tart red grape flavor right away. The Prosecco adds fizz and a dry edge that keeps the sweetness in check, but it does not add much depth. It is light, crisp, and very easy to drink, with a slightly tannic grip from the grape skins that lingers after the sip. You will not find layers of complexity here, just a bright, juicy cooler.

Finish: The finish is short and a little tart, with a grape-skin tannin dryness that scrubs the sweetness off your tongue.

Primary tastes

fruitysoursweet

Secondary

earthy

Aroma

fresh grapesyeastorchard fruit

Bitternesslow bitterness
There is a slight grip from the red grape skins, but no real bitterness to speak of.
Sweetnessmoderately sweet
The grape juice brings a noticeable sweetness that a dry Prosecco cuts but cannot fully tame.
Sournessbalanced tartness
The natural acidity of the grapes and the wine gives the drink a tart, mouth-watering middle.
Strengthlow strength
This is a light drink, sitting around 8 percent alcohol, so it goes down easy.
Refreshingvery refreshing
Cold, bubbly, and tart, this drink is built for hot weather and daytime drinking.
Complexitystraightforward
It is a two-ingredient drink that tastes exactly like what it is: grape and sparkling wine.

Recipe

Make it at home

Built · Flute · equal parts on Prosecco. A dry Brut Prosecco works best to balance the grape sweetness

Before you start

Make sure your Prosecco is well chilled and your grape juice is cold. Put the flute in the freezer for a few minutes if you have the time.

Ingredients

ProseccoBase SpiritChilled90ml
Red Grape JuiceJuiceFresh pressed red grape juice or puree with skins for tannin and color60ml

Garnish: Red grape cluster

Tools

Champagne Flute · Serving
Shows off the bubbles and keeps the drink cold while you sip
At home: White wine glass
Bar Spoon · Mixing
Gently stir the juice and Prosecco together without killing the bubbles
At home: Long dinner knife or chopstick
Jigger · Measuring
Measures the grape juice so the drink does not end up too sweet or too sharp
At home: Shot glass or measuring cup

Steps

1
Take your chilled Champagne flute and pour in 60ml of the red grape juice. Tilt the glass slightly if you want to be extra careful, though you are just pouring juice at this point.
!Using a warm glass will make the Prosecco go flat almost immediately.
2
Hold the flute at a 45-degree angle and slowly pour 90ml of chilled Prosecco down the side of the glass. Pouring gently like this keeps the bubbles from foaming up and spilling over the rim.
!Pouring the Prosecco straight down into the juice creates a bubbly mess that overflows the glass.
3
Take a bar spoon and give the drink one slow, gentle stir from the bottom to lift the juice into the wine. You will see the deep red and pale gold blend into a uniform ruby color, and you will know you are done when the streaks disappear.
!Stirring too fast or too much will knock the carbonation out and leave the drink flat.
4
Set a small cluster of fresh red grapes on the rim of the glass or drop them in. Serve it right away while the bubbles are still rising briskly.

Serve

Serve it immediately in a chilled flute while the fizz is still lively. The drink does not use ice, so it warms up fast once poured.

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

ProseccoChampagne
Match
Common availability
Prosecco → Champagne: Adds more toast and yeast notes with sharper bubbles, making the drink taste drier and more structured.
ProseccoCava
Match
Common availability
Prosecco → Cava: Brings a slightly earthier, leaner profile than Prosecco with less fruity sweetness.

Swap options for Red Grape Juice

Red Grape JuiceWhite Grape Juice
Match
Common availability
Red Grape Juice → White Grape Juice: Loses the red color and the tannic skin grip, resulting in a sweeter, flatter drink that tastes closer to a sweet wine spritzer.
Red Grape JuiceConcord Grape Juice
Match
Common availability
Red Grape Juice → Concord Grape Juice: Packs a much punchier, sweeter, and more jammy grape flavor that will dominate the wine entirely.

Similar cocktails

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

Similar cocktail

Bellini

The Bellini uses white peach puree for a soft, delicate sweetness, while the Tintoretto uses red grape juice for a tarter, tannic bite.

Match

Both are fizzy, fruity brunch drinks, but the Tintoretto is sharper and more assertive while the Bellini is softer and more floral.

In common: Built in flute, Sparkling wine and fruit puree, Italian origin, Low ABV brunch drink

Ingredients

Both share

Prosecco

Only in Tintoretto

Red Grape Juice

Only in Bellini

White Peach Puree

Swapping white peach puree for red grape juice changes the drink from soft and delicately sweet to tart and slightly grippy.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Light and bubbly, Fruit-forward, Low alcohol

How Bellini differs

Tarter, More tannic dryness, Deeper color, Less delicate

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Mimosa

The Mimosa uses orange juice, making it brighter and more sharply acidic without any tannin.

Match

The Mimosa is sharper and more acidic with a clean citrus finish, while the Tintoretto is deeper and earthier with a skin-grip finish.

In common: Built in flute, Sparkling wine and juice, Brunch staple

Ingredients

Both share

Prosecco

Only in Tintoretto

Red Grape Juice

Only in Mimosa

Orange Juice

Orange juice replaces red grape juice, swapping the dark, tannic fruit for a sharp, bright citrus profile.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Light and refreshing, Juice-driven, Effervescent

How Mimosa differs

Citrus instead of grape, No tannic grip, Lighter color

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The Tintoretto was created at Harry's Bar in Venice, the same spot that invented the Bellini. It is named after the Renaissance painter Tintoretto, referencing the deep red color of the drink, which comes from red grape juice rather than the white peach puree used in the original Bellini.

Creator: Harry's Bar
Era: 1940s
Confidence

The Tintoretto is a well-known Harry's Bar creation, but exact proportions vary and it is not an IBA official cocktail.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

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

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Use fresh pressed red grape juice with the skins for real tannin and color.
Chill both the juice and the Prosecco before making the drink.
Pour the Prosecco slowly down the tilted glass to save the bubbles.
A Brut Prosecco keeps the drink from tasting like a kids' juice box.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Do not use commercial shelf-stable grape juice, it tastes like candy.
Do not stir aggressively or you will flatten the drink instantly.
Do not let the mixed drink sit around, serve it while it is still cold and fizzy.