Tinto de Verano (Spanish Red Wine Cocktail)

Tinto de Verano, Spanish for “red wine of summer,” is a refreshing and easy-to-make red wine cocktail that’s ready in less than 5 minutes. You can dress things up with orange and lemon slices, but you really only need two ingredients to make this bubbly summer sipper. 

Tinto de Verano, sangria’s lighter, low-maintenance cousin, is a 2-ingredient summer cocktail made with red wine and lemon soda. Pour over a glass of ice, and you’re ready to enjoy one of Spain’s quintessential beverages! I drank plenty of this while visiting Spain, and I have zero regrets.

It boasts all the fruity, refreshing qualities of red or white wine sangria with no need to plan ahead. Plus, the lower alcohol levels make this drink extra casual, and the sparkling soda makes it so thirst-quenching, particularly on a hot day. It’s perfect for an afternoon picnic or even a mid-morning brunch with friends.

This humble summer cocktail recipe is not meant for your nicest wine, so there’s no need to splurge here. It’s particularly useful when I have some day-old wine burning a hole in my fridge, though it’s also great for serving a crowd.

Simply make it pitcher-style with easy appetizers like Pan con Tomate or Gambas al Ajillo. This is the Spanish way for fuss-free entertaining I learned while visiting Spain, and I’m adopting it all summer long!

Tinto de Verano Ingredients

For this Tinto de Verano recipe, you really only need wine, soda, and ice. A garnish adds a little extra something special, but sometimes a simple wine cocktail is all the oomph you need. Here’s the beautifully short ingredient list for this recipe:

• Red wine: I like a fruity, medium-bodied red wine like Tempranillo, Garnacha, or Rioja to both complement the flavor and hold its own with the lemony soda. Buy a bottle you would enjoy drinking on its own, but don’t break the bank because you’re mixing it with soda.
• Soda: La Casera, a Spanish lemon-flavored soda, is traditional, but I use Sprite or 7Up. They match the flavor and are easier to find stateside. If you swear off soda in every circumstance, you can use a splash of lemonade and carbonated water. You could also try it with lemon LaCroix.
• Citrus slices (optional): Lemon and orange slices add freshness and make things a little prettier, but they’re optional. You can keep this drink simple and serve it without fresh citrus if you’d like. 

How to Make a Tinto de Verano

Tinto de Verano is famously easy to make. You can make pitcher-style for ease, but it’s also quick enough to just make individual glasses. In fact, dirting a measuring cup isn’t even necessary — if you’d like to eyeball this one, more power to you! 

For a single drink: 

• Get ready. Fill a serving glass with ice. (I like to keep things casual with a highball glass or a stemless wine goblet.) 
• Mix, garnish, and serve. Add 1/2 cup each of red wine and lemony soda like Sprite or 7Up. Give it a gentle stir and garnish with orange and lemon wheels. Cheers! 

For a pitcher (Serves 6):

• Get ready. Fill 6 serving glasses with ice. 
• Mix and serve. Pour one bottle of red wine into a pitcher. Top with 3/4 of a liter of lemony soda like Sprite or 7Up (that’s 750ML, or just over 3 cups). Optionally, garnish each glass with lemon and orange wheels. Serve immediately, as it will lose its bubbles over time.  

Tinto de Verano Variations

I kept this Tinto de Verano recipe rather traditional, aside from substituting soda that’s easier to source in the US. While it needs no further embellishment, you can play with different flavors to your taste. Here are some ideas:

• Add sweet vermouth. Substitute half the wine with sweet vermouth for a more full-bodied drink with some herbal notes. This will also increase the alcohol content–vermouth is typically around 18% where as red wine is around 13%.
• Add fresh fruit. Just about any seasonal fruit you have on hand is welcome. Tropical fruits like kiwis, seedless green grapes, strawberries, and stone fruits like peaches all come to mind.  
• Lower the sweetness. For a tarter drink (or if you don’t enjoy soda) swap out the 7Up with soda water and lemonade. 
• Try its sister drink from the south, called a Rebujito, which the Spanish enjoy at the Seville Fair and Feria de Jerez. Simply swap the red wine for dry sherry and garnish with mint and lemon slices.  

What to Serve with Tinto de Verano

Serve this effortless cocktail with a range of equally effortless Spanish tapas. For brunch or lunch, Spain’s version of an omelet, called Tortilla Española, is perfect for sharing and keeps for up to three days.

For dinner, one-pan Arroz con Pollo with spicy chorizo builds so much bold Spanish flavor–you’ll want plenty of ice-cold glasses for cooling sips between bites! Or try any of my favorite Spanish recipes.

More Spanish Drink Recipes

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