I did not set out to create a recipe for Tinto de Verano, or summer wine. I was looking for a proper Sangria recipe but I found all of the recipes used 6 different fruits. So, simple summer wine it is. Four ingredients and one garnish make this a tasty staple for summer dinner parties.
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Why I Love This Recipe?
Did I mention four ingredients and a garnish? Simple is key when making a batch drink for a party, and these come together to create a lovely summer wine or a red wine margarita as my wife called it. It’s fast, easy, and inexpensive to make this drink for a group; but it has enough kick to really liven up a party. Enjoy!
Ingredients & Equipment
Ingredients
- Fruity Red Wine: I used a light body Pinot Noir because I know almost zero about wine. Use your judgment, but we are going for a light and playful. Skip the robust reds you would pair with a proper steak.
- Lemon Soda: This is a bit hard to find, but our local grocer had a lemon soda. Lemon Fanta would also work, or limoncello soda would be pretty good. Lemon-flavored seltzer won’t taste as good but would yield a lower calorie drink if that’s your goal. (I write for flavor, not for health. 🙂
- Vermouth: To give it some depth of flavor and a bit of a kick, I added vermouth. Really adds a nice complexity to the drink. I used sweet vermouth since I really, really don’t like the flavor of dry vermouth, and also didn’t have any on hand for that reason.
- Triple Sec: I figured if I wanted to spice up a citrus drink a bit more, might as well try adding some triple sec since it’s a citrus liquor. I wasn’t disappointed! The combination of vermouth and triple sec was magic and better than either apart.
- Orange Slice (optional): Entirely optional, but adding an orange slice to the edge of the glass add a fanciness to the drink. You also get a punch of orange smell when you take a drink.
- Ice: Make the drink cold, duh. Also dilutes so add this right before serving.
Equipment needed for Tinto de Verano
- Pitcher: Something big enough to hold the combined ingredients plus some ice would be ideal. Since you’ll be serving out of this pitcher, I suggest getting something that looks good. Form and function!
- Stirrer: A simple spoon will do, but if you want to feel like a pro get a proper drink stirrer.
- Liquid Measuring Cups: I use a liquid measuring cup to get the portions right every time
Making Tinto de Verano
This recipe is very straight forward, and meant to be scaled up to accommodate larger crowds. Or make it is batches and refresh it as needed. Itll taste better that way, but its more work. Here is the ratio for our Summer Wine.
- 2 Parts Red Wine
- 2 Parts Lemon Soda
- 1/2 Parts Vermouth
- 1/2 Parts Triple Sec
That’s it! Here are some other use ratios:
- 1 Cup Red Wine
- 1 Cup Lemon Soda
- 1/4 cup Vermouth
- 1/4 Cup Triple Sec
- 1 Bottle Red Wine (3 Cups)
- 1 Bottle Lemon Soda (3 Cups)
- 3/4 Cup Vermouth
- 3/4 Cup Triple Sec
Tinto de Verano (Summer Wine)
Equipment
- Pitcher For Serving
- Stirrer for Stirring
- Liquid Measuring Cup for Measuring
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Red Wine See notes for Recommendations
- 2 Cups Lemon Soda
- ½ Cup Sweet Vermouth
- ½ Cup Triple Sec
- Ice
- 1 Orange, Sliced Optional, For Garnish
Instructions
- Combine the wine, lemon soda, sweet vermouth, and triple sec in a pitcher. Pour carefully to avoid decarbonating the soda as much as possible.2 Cups Red Wine, 2 Cups Lemon Soda, ½ Cup Sweet Vermouth, ½ Cup Triple Sec
- Add ice as needed, and garnish with an orange slice to serve. Enjoy!1 Orange, Sliced, Ice
Notes
- The Best Wine for this cocktail is a fruity pinot noir or Spanish wine. Nothing heavy, biting, bitter, or super dry. Avoid the super stanky wines for this playful cocktail.
- Substitutions for the lemon soda could be Sprite, Mountain Dew, 7Up, etc. There is also a Lemon Fanta, but our region doesn’t carry it.
- More bubbles are better than less.
- Dry Vermouth should work in this drink as well, but I make no promises as to the taste.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Tinto de Verano is a traditional alcoholic drink from Spain. While the tourists are drinking Sangria, the locals are sipping Tinto de Verano and laughing.
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