🍷 Tinto de verano

Tinto de verano is a Spanish summer drink of red wine, fizzy water and ice. The name means "summer red".

Usually red wine is mixed with lemon soda or plain fizzy water, often in roughly equal parts. Lots of ice and a slice of lemon or orange are added. The drink comes from southern Spain, from Andalusia, and is especially popular in hot months. It is drunk on terraces and at home, served in a tall glass.

It differs from sangria in being simpler: sangria has more fruit, sometimes sugar and stronger spirits. The drink is similar to a spritzer, where wine is diluted with soda, and to kalimotxo, where red wine is mixed with cola. Because it is diluted, it has less alcohol than plain wine, but it is still an alcoholic drink. A simple young red is used, since a heavily aged wine is not needed here. It is an example of how Spanish wine becomes part of summer life.