Tinto de Verano: Spanish Summer Cocktail

With a name that literally translates to red wine of summer, it’s not hyperbole to refer to Tinto de Verano as a quintessential summer sipper. But it’s not just its name that makes this Spanish red wine cocktail ideal for the warm weather months. You’ll understand after one sip although its practically impossible to stop sipping Tinto de Verano until the glass is empty. Consider yourself warned.

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Tinto de Verano is a cocktail that’s crafted with just two ingredients, red wine and lemon-lime soda, in a 1:1 ratio. A handful of ice cubes and an orange wedge or wheel complete the easy Tinto de Verano recipe.

You may be wondering if this Spanish cocktail is similar to Spain’s more famous wine-based cocktail – Sangria. As we learned during a fun Seville food tour, the simple answer is yes. But that’s not the full answer.

Both of Spain’s popular Spanish wine-based cocktails are fun to sip on a hot afternoon or while eating tapas. However, unlike Sangria, Tinto de Verano is pain-free to craft at home.

You don’t have to chop up fruit or wait for the flavors to combine when you whip up a glass or pitcher of Tinto de Verano. In other words, it may take you more time to open a bottle of wine than to craft the ruby red drink.

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While Spain’s Tinto de Verano is ready for its moment in the sun, it’s far from a new or trendy tipple. Spaniards have been sipping the delightful drink on verandas and at tapas bars for more than a century.

Legend has it that a Cordoba bartender crafted the original Tinto de Verano more than a century ago with equal parts of red wine and Gaseosa, i.e. lemon soda. Today, many mixologists replace Gaseosa with Fanta, Seven-Up or Sprite while some use lemonade instead.

The Tinto de Verano ingredient list includes the following items:

You don’t need to buy a special bottle of wine to craft this recipe. We keep to theme by using Spanish wines like our favorite, El Pacto, a moderately priced La Rioja crianza produced with 100% tempranillo grapes. Your favorite red wine will work just fine even it it’s not Spanish.

Any lemon-lime soda will suffice. We typically use 7-Up because it’s easy to find where we live. Another option would be to make soda from scratch using fizzy water, lemon juice and simple syrup.

Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.

Gently stir until the liquids are combined.

Pro Tip
Don’t overstir or you’ll lose the soda’s fizz.

Did you craft this cocktail? If so, please rate the recipe below.

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