The Bellini got a tea garden makeover.

A classic Bellini is one of those drinks that just understands summer. Cold, bubbly, peachy, and absolutely meant to be consumed somewhere with sunshine.

Our version keeps everything we love about a Bellini, skips the alcohol, and adds something a little more interesting: Pear & Ginger Green Tea.

The delicate green tea gives the drink some actual structure, while juicy pear and ginger add layers underneath the peach. Add peach nectar, fresh lemon, and plenty of bubbles, and you've got a non-alcoholic Bellini that doesn't feel like the consolation-prize version of a cocktail.

It's light. It's fruity. It's ridiculously easy.

And it gives us another excuse to buy an unreasonable number of peaches in August.

Why pear, peach, and ginger work so well together

Peach and pear are both soft, juicy fruit flavors, but they bring slightly different things to the glass. Peach is lush and summery, while pear is lighter and more delicate.

Then there's ginger.

That little bit of spice keeps the whole drink from drifting into fruit-juice territory.

Our Pear & Ginger Green Tea already combines green tea, pear, ginger, and lemongrass, so when peach enters the equation, you've got a drink that's fruity without being overly sweet and refreshing enough for an August afternoon.

Cold brew it

For this recipe, we're cold brewing the green tea.

Green tea can become bitter when it's brewed with water that's too hot or left to steep too long. Cold brewing is wonderfully forgiving and produces a smooth, delicate tea that's particularly good in mocktails.

Plus, you can make it the night before.

Future-you gets a Bellini. Past-you did approximately two minutes of work.

Excellent arrangement.

Fresh Peach or Peach Nectar?

You can absolutely make this recipe either way.

Peach nectar is the easiest option. It's smooth, consistent, available even when your grocery store's peaches could technically qualify as baseballs, and gives you a gorgeous peach flavor without any blending.

But in August?

If you've got a peach so ripe that you have to eat it leaning over the kitchen sink, use the peach.

Peel it, purée it until smooth, and substitute about two tablespoons of purée for the nectar.

You may want to strain the purée if you want that elegant, classic Bellini texture, but we're not going to call the Bellini police if you don't.

Make It Extra Fancy

The easiest upgrade is to swap the sparkling water for non-alcoholic sparkling wine.

That gives you the dry, crisp finish of a traditional Bellini while keeping the drink zero-proof.

You can also try:

Frozen peach slices instead of ice. They keep everything cold without diluting your drink.

A thyme garnish. Peach and thyme are ridiculously good together, and the aroma makes the drink feel much more sophisticated.

A tiny drizzle of honey. Only if your peaches aren't very sweet. You don't want to bury the green tea.

A splash of ginger beer. If you're firmly on Team Ginger, replace an ounce of the sparkling water with ginger beer for a little extra bite.

Can I Make Peach Bellinis for a Crowd?

Absolutely.

And this would be such a good baby shower, bridal shower, brunch, or sober-curious party drink.

Cold brew a large pitcher of Pear & Ginger Green Tea the night before.

Shortly before your guests arrive, combine the chilled tea, peach nectar, and lemon juice in a pitcher and refrigerate.

Don't add your bubbles yet.

Set out the pitcher alongside bottles of sparkling water and NA sparkling wine and let guests top their own glasses.

Nobody gets a sad, flat Bellini. Everyone wins.

Why Tea Is So Good in Non-Alcoholic Cocktails

This is one of the reasons we keep putting tea in mocktails.

When you remove alcohol from a cocktail, you also remove some of the bitterness, tannin, aroma, and structure that alcohol traditionally contributes.

Tea can bring some of that complexity back.

Green tea especially gives lighter zero-proof cocktails and NA drinks just enough structure without overwhelming fresh fruit and herbs.

You're not trying to make tea pretend it's alcohol.

You're letting tea do what tea does best.

And in this case, what it does best is make peach nectar and bubbles considerably more interesting.

Final Sip

This Peach Ginger Green Tea Bellini lives right in that perfect August space.

It's still very much summer. There are peaches everywhere. We're drinking things with ice. Nobody is emotionally prepared for pumpkin spice.

But that tiny hit of ginger gives you just the faintest hint that cozy season is lurking somewhere around the corner.

For now, though?

We're staying right here with the peaches and bubbles.