Oliver Peach Bellini

Oliver Peach Bellini is a Massachusetts-made fruit dessert wine from Esplanda, built around peach in the style of the Italian Bellini cocktail. This 750ml bottle is a ready-to-pour version of the drink. Bottles like this usually pour pale gold to light amber and smell of ripe white peach and a little apricot. The palate tends to be soft and gently sweet, with a light body and a peach flavor that stays juicy and fresh instead of heavy. Fruit wines in this style have no tannin and little or no oak. Their acidity is moderate and keeps the sweetness from feeling syrupy. Expect a clean, fruit-forward finish of medium length. Serve it well chilled, at about 40 to 45°F, which is a couple of hours in the refrigerator or 30 minutes in an ice bucket. Cold temperatures hold the sweetness in check and keep the peach aroma lively. Decanting isn't needed, because there are no tannins to soften and the fruit is best fresh from the bottle. A flute is the traditional glass for a Bellini and keeps any light sparkle and the aroma concentrated. A small white wine glass works just as well if you want more of the peach to reach your nose. Pour it straight, or use it as a base for a brunch drink. It can be topped with a splash of dry sparkling wine, which adds fizz and dilutes the sweetness. Sweet peach pairs best with salty, rich or lightly spiced food that offsets the sugar. Prosciutto-wrapped melon, a brunch spread of ham, quiche and soft scrambled eggs, and creamy cheeses such as brie, mascarpone or fresh goat cheese all suit it. For dessert, try it with vanilla panna cotta, almond cake, shortbread or a fruit tart, where the wine should be at least as sweet as the dish. Mild Thai and Indian dishes also pair well, since the sweetness takes the edge off the heat. This is a drink-now bottle. Fruit-driven dessert wines like this are made for freshness and do not improve with cellaring, so keep it cool and out of the light, and drink it within a year or so. Once opened, reseal it and refrigerate it, and plan to finish it within a few days while the peach flavor is still bright.