Summertime is all about reconnecting with friends and family over an ice-cold drink, and nothing says refreshment like a glass of Tinto de Verano! Enjoy the summer by sitting under the shade of your favorite tree with this light, crisp Spanish red wine cocktail to cool you off.
This delicious Spanish cocktail combines easy-to-find ingredients to quench your thirst while giving you all the flavor without fuss. Let us show you how to mix this signature summer sip – this Tinto de Verano red wine spritzer recipe is perfect for balmy afternoons and easygoing lunches!
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I love a good glass of wine, but go for a refreshing cocktail on a sweltering summer day. So, I am a massive fan of the refreshing Tinto de Verano, a bubbly, ruby-hued mixture of red wine and citrusy soda served over ice! It's an easy red wine spritzer for the hot summer months.
Try this Hugo Spritz, Strawberry Bellini, or Strawberry Elderflower Gin Fizz for more refreshing drinks for your next summer party!
Why Make a Red Wine Spritzer?
Tinto de Verano is a delicious and refreshing summertime beverage that can be made on the spot.
This effervescent cocktail is the perfect solution whether you're feeling festive or just looking to cool down on a hot summer day. Make the Tinto de Verano the star of your next party or picnic or when you want something light yet flavorful.
This drink will surely be a hit - the balance of tasty red wine from Rebellious Wine and bubbly soda will bring life to your summertime festivities.
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What is Tinto de Verano?
Tinto de Verano is a chilled wine-based drink popular in Spain, made of Spanish red table wine, lemon soda water, a slice of lemon, and ice.
In Spanish, Tinto de Verano means "red wine of summer" or "summer wine." As the name implies, this cocktail has red wine as its base ingredient. The other components, like the soda, balance the wine's taste, making it light and fruity and the perfect summer drink on a hot afternoon.
This refreshing yet easy-to-make cocktail is perfect for long summer afternoons or late evenings. Whether hosting a summer party, a BBQ, or simply craving a refreshing drink, Tinto de Verano is a popular choice.
Unlike sangria, you don't need to make this cocktail in advance, and it has less alcohol than a glass of wine, making it a perfect choice for a relaxing summer afternoon or brunch during warm weather.
Ingredients
To make the best Tinto de Verano, the three traditional ingredients are red wine, lemon soda, and ice, with equal parts of wine and soda.
- Red wine: I use a vibrant red blend from California, Rebellious Red Blend, in this Tinto de Verano recipe. Rebellious Pinot Noir is a great choice as well. This wine is perfect because it is a young red wine - slightly fruity and not too tannic for this red wine spritzer. This Red Blend bursts with flavors that pair well with grilled food, vegetables, and tapas. Find Rebellious Wine near you.
- Ice - use plenty of ice.
- Soda - I used a bubbly Italian lemon sparkling soda - I recommend any high-quality Italian or Sicilian lemon sparkling soda.
Proportions will change depending on taste (more or less wine). Add club soda or sparkling mineral water if the cocktail is too sweet, or to add more bubbles.
See the recipe card for quantities.
About Rebellious Red Blend
Rebellious Red Blend has notes of dark cherry and strawberry jam, brown sugar, dark chocolate, and cola with hints of cardamom, black pepper, sandalwood, licorice, blueberries, and allspice.
The grapes are sourced from Sonoma and Mendocino and are fermented in separate lots. The wine is aged for 16 months in French and American oak.
Rebellious Wine enhances the aromas by adding a dash of white wine, creating an incomparable blend.
The blending percentages are 42% Zinfandel, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot,7% Petite Sirah, 7% Syrah, 7% Mourvedre, and 1% Sauvignon Blanc.
How to make this Tinto de Verano Red Wine Spritzer Recipe
Tinto de Verano is a refreshing red wine spritzer recipe perfect for summer days. Whether you're lounging by the pool, hosting a party, or simply relaxing on a sunny terrace, this simple drink will transport you to the sunny beaches of Spain.
The best part is that with a couple of ingredients, you can make this perfect summer cocktail, even if it is your first time.
Place ice cubes in a glass.
Add Rebellious Red Blend.
Then add lemon soda.
Garnish with a lemon wedge. Enjoy immediately.
Hint: To ensure a cold and refreshing Tinto de Verano, chill the wine and the soda in advance.
Substitutions
- Red wine - If you can't find Rebellious Red Blend to make this red wine spritzer, feel free to use your favorite red wine; the best wine to use is a fruity wine that you enjoy drinking. If you don't have red wine on hand, try rosé wine.
- Lemon soda - If you can't find a nice tart Italian lemon soda that is widely available, try lemon seltzer, lime sparkling water, or sparkling lemonade found at the grocery store or your local farmers market. If you can't find sparkling lemonade, use lemonade mixed with club soda. You can also try orange or blood orange-flavored sparkling water or another citrus-flavored club soda.
Variations
Here are some different ways to enjoy this delicious drink:
- Herbal - If you prefer a drink that leans a bit more herbal and rounder, add a splash of sweet vermouth. A touch of vermouth (vermut in Spanish) is added to a Tinto de Verano in some regions of Spain.
- Lemon soda - Use any citrus soda or lemon-lime sodas you like. If they're too sweet, add soda water. Or make lemon soda by mixing a squeeze of lemon juice, a bar spoonful of simple syrup, and sparkling water.
- Fruit - Garnish with any fresh fruit or citrus fruit you like, such as orange slices, lime slices, or lemon slices.
- Mocktail - To make this drink an alcohol-free mocktail, swap the red wine for cherry juice, grape juice, cranberry juice, or pomegranate juice; add a squeeze of lime juice or lemon juice.
- Stronger or weaker cocktail - Adjust the ratio of wine and soda to suit your taste.
For another alcohol-free choice, try this sparkling cranberry mocktail.
How to Serve
Serve your Tinto de Verano over ice in a stemless wine glass, a small highball, a larger lowball, or a tumbler, and allow friends to pour their drink according to their tastes. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Feel free to make a pitcher if you are serving Tinto de Verano right away to a crowd. The ratio of red wine to lemon soda is 1:1; for a 750 ml bottle of red wine, you need 750 ml (3 cups) of lemon soda.
Storage
This drink is best served after it is made. Keep the components separate until it is time to make the drink on the spot.
Expert tip
Serve this cocktail immediately. Add frozen grapes or a large ice cube instead of regular ice cubes to prevent this drink from getting watered down.
Tinto de Verano is perfect for a summer afternoon of relaxation. Whether you want to savor it on your terrace or enjoy it outdoors with friends and family, let this red wine spritzer be your go-to choice for those hot summer days that require a refreshing boost.
Make sure to have the ingredients on hand to make it in a flash. With only a bottle of red wine such as Rebellious Red Blend, lemon soda, ice, and a lemon slice to garnish, this drink requires minimal effort and cost to bring big flavor and refreshment. Visit Rebellious Wine today to find their Red Blend near you so you can make this delightful cocktail!
So why not try your hand at making this classic Spanish drink? Let's toast to days filled with sunshine, good food, family, and friends!
FAQ
These two beverages share a wine base and ice; however, the rest of the ingredients differ. While the tinto de verano has fewer ingredients, traditional sangria is more complex since it contains additional liquor such as brandy, orange liqueur such as triple sec, fruit juice, macerated fruit, and sugar or simple syrup. Sangria does not usually contain soda or a soft drink and is typically served in a large pitcher.
In Spain and Spanish cuisine, red wine is a popular beverage, and the phrase vino tinto refers to any red wine.
In the early 20th century, Federico Vargas created a mixture of red wine and soda pop for his customers at Venta Vargas in Cordoba, Spain. The drink was initially called un Vargas but soon became known as Tinto de Verano.
Related
Looking for other refreshing drinks like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Tinto de Verano:
Recipe
Tinto de Verano Red Wine Spritzer Recipe
Equipment
- Chilled tumbler
Ingredients
- Ice
- 2 oz Rebellious Red Blend chilled
- 2 oz lemon sparkling soda chilled, or citrus club soda of your choice, sparkling lemonade, or soda water and simple syrup with a squeeze of lemon
- Lemon slice
Instructions
- Place several ice cubes in a glass.
- Add chilled Rebellious Red Blend.
- Add chilled lemon soda.
- Garnish with a slice of lemon. Cheers!
Notes
Nutrition
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.
Jess
The color is beautiful!
Emily Miller
Thanks so much, Jess!
Gina Abernathy
Never thought about adding sparking soda to my wine---game changer!
Emily Miller
It really is a game-changer! During these last days of summer, it's fantastic and refreshing; I can see why it's popular in Spain!
Cathleen
Thank you so much for this!! I had a long week, and could definitely use this right about now. I am so glad you shared this recipe 🙂
Emily Miller
This is so simple to make; I hope you try it! It's so refreshing and perfect for the long weekend ahead!
Gianne
I recently tried a recipe and it was absolutely delightful! This refreshing Spanish beverage is perfect for hot summer days! Highly recommend giving it a try. Cheers!
Emily Miller
Thank you so much! Cheers!
Anjali
We served this cocktail when we had some friends over for dinner and it was a hit! Refreshing and delicious!
Emily Miller
Thank you for your five-star review, Anjali! I'm so glad this cocktail was a hit at your dinner party!