Tinto de Verano

Tinto de verano is the perfect summer drink made with red wine and fizzy lemon soda. Meaning "summer red wine" in Spanish, this cocktail will instantly transport you to a warm, sunny seaside terrace in Barcelona. You can whip up a pitcher in less than 5 minutes!

When you think of Spanish drinks, sangria is probably the first one to come to mind. While sangria is a delicious, fruity cocktail that many tourists enjoy, tinto de verano is more popular among the locals in cities like Barcelona and Madrid.

Tinto de verano is a fizzy, less alcoholic cousin of sangria. It is made with red wine, bubbly lemon soda, and slices of lemons and oranges. It's absolutely delicious to sip outside in the sunshine!

If you love cocktail recipes, try my skinny spicy jalapeño margarita, homemade lime vodka seltzer, creamy espresso martini, Aperol Negroni, and skinny strawberry lemonade mojito.

Ingredient Notes

Here are some notes about the ingredients you'll need. For quantities, see the recipe card below.

• Red wine- The best options are Spanish red garnacha, tempranillo, or Rioja. Rioja is a wine region in Spain that produces full-bodied wines. If you can't find these, Pinot noir works well. There's no need to use an expensive or fancy wine; just make sure it is drinkable and tastes good! Non-alcoholic red wine works too.
• Lemon soda- In Spain, Fanta Limón is typically used as the mixer. If you can't find it in the United States, use Sprite or 7-Up instead. You could even use lemonade and club soda, lemon or lime sparkling water, seltzer, or soda water for less sugar. Orange soda or grapefruit soda (like Squirt) are also good options.
• Orange- I used a navel orange, but Valencia, cara cara, and mandarin oranges work too.
• Lemon- Regular grocery store lemons or Meyer lemons work.
• Ice- Use large ice cubes. Avoid crushed ice since it will melt faster and dilute your drink.

How to Make It

Step 1: Combine the wine and soda. Add ice to the pitcher first. Stir the wine and soda with a bar spoon until combined, but not so much that the soda goes flat.

Step 2: Add the citrus. Slice the lemons and oranges and add them to the pitcher.

Step 3: Serve! Give everything a good stir, pour into glasses filled with additional ice, and enjoy immediately.

Additions and Variations

• Add a splash of vermouth! Vermouth is a fortified wine that is often drank neat in Spain. Spanish vermouth is much sweeter than what is used in martinis and manhattans. It adds extra spice and kick to wine cocktails.
• Add grapefruit or lime. Add lime slices for more tang or grapefruit slices for a little bitterness.

Frequently Asked Questions