Tall glass of tinto de verano, a read wine with Sprite, and ice cubes.

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There’s one unquestionable way to stand out as a tourist in Spain. Order sangria. Natives, on the other hand, tend to gravitate toward an alternate cocktail that’s just as much a classic. Known as Tinto de Verano, it’s essentially a wine spritzer made from equal parts red wine and gaseosa, or lightly sweetened lemon-lime soda, sorta the Spanish equivalent of Sprite or 7-Up. Tinto de Verano is far less boozy and slightly less expensive than that other, more commonly chugged Spanish libation. Though it doesn’t always make an appearance on cocktail menus, trust us, it’s there. And it’s worth getting to know.–David Leite

Tall glass of tinto de verano, a read wine with Sprite, and ice cubes.

Tinto de Verano

4.67 / 9 votes
Tinto de verano, which loosely translates as “summer red wine” in Spanish, is a cooling and not too intoxicating drink to have on a hot day. Red wine, preferably Spanish, is mixed with Sprite or 7-Up and poured over ice. Ahhhhhh.
David Leite
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CourseDrinks
CuisineSpanish
Servings1 drink
Calories150 kcal
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes

Ingredients 

  • Ice
  • 1/2 cup red wine, any red wine, although preferably something from Spain
  • 1/2 cup lightly sweetened carbonated lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite or 7-Up
  • Slice of lemon (optional)

Instructions 

  • Toss a few ice cubes into a tall glass. Pour in the red wine and then add the soda. Toss in the lemon slice, if desired. Sip leisurely.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 drinkCalories: 150 kcalCarbohydrates: 15 gProtein: 1 gSodium: 17 mgSugar: 13 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Photo © 2008 Fran Villena. All rights reserved.

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About David Leite

I count myself lucky to have received three James Beard Awards for my writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. I’m the author of The New Portuguese Table and Notes on a Banana. For more than 25 years, I’ve been developing and testing recipes for my site, my books, and publications. My work has also appeared in the New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and more. I’m also a cooking teacher, memoirist, and inveterate cat lady.

Read More About Me

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Recipe Rating




12 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    We are out on the porch enjoying a glass of home-brewed watermelon wine. My husband remarked his scant lunch made this 16% libation really be felt. I said, “what if we put in a splash of seltzer and squeeze of lime?” Then I Googled it and found Tinto de Verano was a thing. Might still need a touch of simple syrup, since we don’t do 7-Up or sodas. I might even add a little macerated mint leaves just for fun.

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  2. Add a touch of vermouth then squeeze the lemon into the drink and it’s perfect. Just like Spain. They don’t sell Fanta Lemon or Casera here in the states so the little extra lemon compensates for it.

    Reply