Do you love a fruity cocktail? Then you must try the Rossini cocktail! A luxurious treat filled with strawberry and bubbly Cava, this is an irresistible drink that feels like indulgence in a glass!
You only need simple ingredients such as fresh strawberries, syrup, and lemon juice to make it at home. Serve chilled in a champagne glass!

I partnered with Poema Cava to make this Rossini cocktail. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Meet my new favorite brunch cocktail!
I love a bubbly, refreshing cocktail during the summer when delicious ripe strawberries are in season. Enter the Rossini - the perfect drink for aperitivo, brunch, Valentine's Day, summer brunch, or a special occasion.
Serve your Rossini cocktails with this vegan quiche, tofu scramble, or bakery-style strawberry rhubarb muffins!
Try this Hugo Spritz, Red Wine Spritzer, Meyer Lemon French 75, Blood Orange French 75, and Strawberry Elderflower Gin Fizz for more delicious cocktail recipes.
Jump to:
What is a Rossini cocktail?
The Rossini cocktail is a twist on the classic Bellini cocktail. Instead of a peach puree, it’s made with strawberry puree, making it a perfect summer drink with a fruity component.
A Rossini is traditionally made with Italian Prosecco. However, I'm switching it up using Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine.
How did the Rossini get its name?
The Rossini is named after a famous Italian composer, Gioachino Antonio Rossini. He was known for his dramatic and bubbly musical compositions and was nicknamed "Signor Crescendo" and "The Italian Mozart."
Ingredients
You need just a few simple ingredients to make this Rossini cocktail. It's important to use fresh, cold ingredients.
- Cava - I'm using a delicious and bubbly cold Cava in this Rossini recipe, Poema Pur Organic, which you can find near you. However, it is traditional to use Prosecco, which is made in Italy.
- Strawberries - you'll need fresh, juicy, ripe strawberries to make the strawberry puree, preferably organic.
- Simple syrup - if you don't have it handy, it's easy to make!
- Fresh lemon juice - to add a touch of tartness.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to make a Rossini Cocktail (Strawberry Bellini)
It's easy to make this refreshing drink, even if it is your first time. If you don't have simple syrup, it is super simple to make it.
For the simple syrup
- Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan on medium heat.
- Stir it occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Don't let it boil.
- Remove from the heat and once it's cool, transfer to an airtight glass container and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.
For the fresh strawberry puree
- Place strawberries, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender, and blend for several seconds until pureed.
- Strain the mixture with a fine mesh sieve. Set the sieve over a bowl and gently push the mixture through with a flexible spatula or a spoon.
- Place the strawberry puree in a glass container and refrigerate it if not using it immediately.
For the Rossini cocktail
- Pour 2 tablespoons of strawberry puree into a chilled champagne flute. You can adjust the amount to taste. Want more strawberries? Add more strawberry puree.
- Pour 4 oz of chilled Cava slowly into the glass.
- Garnish with a fresh slice of strawberry.
Pour 2 tablespoons of strawberry puree into a chilled champagne glass.
Pour 4 oz Cava into the champagne glass.
Garnish the cocktail with a slice of fresh strawberry.
Hint: It helps to tilt the champagne glass when you pour the Cava, to avoid spilling over! It bubbles up quickly; let the bubbles subside and pour in increments.
Substitutions
Here are some substitutions you can try:
- Cava - instead of Cava, try cold Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine, or another white sparkling white wine.
- Lemon juice - use a squeeze of orange juice or lime juice instead.
- Simple syrup - use organic cane sugar instead. Add a tablespoon of sugar to the strawberries when making the puree. Adjust to taste; the amount will vary depending on how sweet and ripe the strawberries are.
Variations
Adjust the amounts of the ingredients to your taste. Want more sweetness? Add more simple syrup. Want more tartness? Add more lemon juice. Less boozy? Replace the Cava with sparkling water.
- Deluxe - add strawberry or orange liqueur or a dash of triple sec.
- Alcohol-free - replace the Cava with sparkling water or flavored sparkling water.
Equipment
You only need a little equipment to make this bubbly cocktail. Here's what you need:
- Cutting board and chef's knife for preparing the strawberries
- Food processor or blender to puree the strawberries
- Fine mesh strainer
- Swing-top glass bottles for storing simple syrup; pouring what you need is easy.
- Champagne flutes
Storage
The Rossini is best enjoyed immediately. Refrigerate leftover simple syrup, strawberry puree, and Cava.
The simple syrup is good for 2 to 4 weeks in the fridge. The strawberry puree is good for up to 5 days.
Expert tip
Find the most fresh and sweet strawberries you can find! Fresh, quality ingredients are key.
Related
Looking for more cocktail recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Rossini cocktail:
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to ★★★★★ star-rate it and leave a comment below. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook, and share your creation with me! Tag me @resplendentkitchen and hashtag #resplendentkitchenrecipes.
Recipe
Rossini Cocktail (Strawberry Bellini)
Ingredients
For the simple syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
For the strawberry puree
- 2 cups fresh strawberries hulled
- 2 tablespoons simple syrup
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
For the Rossini cocktail
- 2 tablespoons strawberry puree
- 4 oz chilled Cava
- Strawberry slice for garnish
Instructions
For the simple syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar.1 cup water, 1 cup organic cane sugar
- Heat on medium and occasionally stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove from the heat and let cool. Refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.
For the strawberry puree
- Place strawberries, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a food processor.2 cups fresh strawberries, 2 tablespoons simple syrup, ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Process for several seconds until pureed. Strain the mixture.
For the Rossini cocktail
- Pour 2 tablespoons of strawberry puree into a chilled champagne glass.2 tablespoons strawberry puree
- Pour 4 oz Cava into the glass.4 oz chilled Cava
- Garnish with a strawberry slice.Strawberry slice for garnish
Notes
Nutrition
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.
Erik
Our new favorite brunch drink! The flavor is so so good.
Emily Miller
Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback, Erik! It's much appreciated.
Suja
Perfect! I love this recipe! I haven’t made one in ages. Thanks for the idea!
Emily Miller
Thank you, Suja, for your feedback! Cheers!
Dannii
This was so light and refreshing. Perfect for a dinner party I was hosting.
Emily Miller
Thank you so much for your review, Dannii!
Amanda
This is so pretty for a celebration and is so easy to make too. Really enjoyed this.
Emily Miller
Thank you for your kind words, Amanda! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed this cocktail.
Gianne
This has quickly become one of my favorites. The combination of fresh strawberries and sparkling wine creates a refreshing and delightful drink. Highly recommend!
Emily Miller
Thank you so much for your glowing review, Gianne! I'm thrilled that you love this sparkling wine and strawberry combination!