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Cocktail History
The Holiday Bellini is a Christmas cocktail that was created by Erin Lynch, recipe developer and blogger at Platings & Pairings based in Portland, Oregon. Staying true to the original’s celebratory spirit, this variation retains sparkling wine as its base but swaps out the peach purée for a seasonally inspired cranberry and ginger syrup. The cranberry lends a vibrant, tart sweetness that pairs beautifully with the warming spice of ginger, creating a balanced and flavorful syrup that captures the essence of the holidays. This festive twist not only adds a unique depth of flavor but also gives the drink a rich, jewel-toned appearance, making it perfect for holiday gatherings or toasting with friends and family.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Sparkling Wine: This is a type of wine made with white or red grapes and infused with carbon dioxide. I used La Marca Prosecco.
Cranberry Ginger Syrup: This is a sweetener made with cranberries, ginger, white sugar, gum arabic powder, and water.
Cranberries: This is a small red berry native to North America that’s known for its vibrant color and slightly bitter flavor.
Rosemary: This is an aromatic evergreen herb with needle-like leaves and a robust, piney, and slightly peppery flavor.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface to catch spills, provide grip for glasses and tools, and keep the workspace clean and organized. I used the Highball & Chaser 18×12 Bar Mat.
Jigger: This is a small, double-sided measuring tool that’s used to accurately portion spirits and mixers, typically with one side measuring 1 oz and the other 1.5 or 2 oz. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Bar Spoon: This is a long-handled spoon with a twisted shaft that’s used for stirring, layering, and reaching the bottom of tall cocktail glasses. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Cocktail Pick: This is a small, slender tool that’s used to skewer cocktail garnishes. I used one from the I-MART Gold Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.
Champagne Glass: This is a tall, narrow glass that has a slender bowl and long stem to preserve carbonation and concentrate aromas. I used a thrifted champagne glass.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Fizzy light pink color
• Aroma: Savory, woodsy rosemary and wine
• Taste: Bubbly wine with a slightly spicy ginger taste and notes of baking spices and cranberry
• Finish: Effervescent wine
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “I don’t know if a recipe really qualifies as a Bellini if there’s no peach, but this one identifies itself as such and is quite delicious nonetheless! It’s really just cranberry and ginger-flavored wine, which is hard to mess up, in my opinion. As simple as it is, I really loved the flavor profile of the Holiday Bellini and would probably pour myself one of these over the classic Bellini any day of the year.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Platings & Pairings, a recipe blog.
Holiday Bellini
The Holiday Bellini is a Christmas cocktail that was created by Erin Lynch, recipe developer and blogger at Platings & Pairings based in Portland, Oregon. A lot like the original Bellini, which mixes peach and sparkling wine, this variation also uses bubbly as the base but swaps out the peach for a more festive cranberry and ginger syrup.
Ingredients
Method
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Add cranberry ginger syrup to a champagne glass.
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Top with sparkling wine.
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Stir gently for 3-5 seconds.
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Garnish with cranberries and rosemary sprig.
