¡Salud!
Imagine you are in southern Spain. It’s summer. The sun is relentless. The heat incomprehensible. The humidity off the charts. There is one simple antidote: Tinto de Verano, or summer red wine.
This isn’t to be confused with its cousin, Sangria. This is a lighter, brighter drink to have on those hot summer afternoons or nights. It is not too alcoholic, and it is very refreshing. In Spain it is made with Fanta Limón, which isn’t available here. Any good other lemon, lime, or lemon-lime soda will do — I use Sprite or 7-Up.
Our first week in Spain was so cold and rainy, we never thought we would want to drink a Tinto de Verano, but as we moved south to AndalucÃa, the weather warmed up and these quickly became a favorite with our tapas.
~ David
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angiesrecipes
July 26, 2025 at 3:51 amA fabulous summer cooler! This is easier and with fewer ingredients than Sangria. Just made some blackberry infused vodka…almost just as good 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
July 26, 2025 at 6:46 pmYour blackberry infused vodka looked beautiful! A bit more alcoholic than this drink, but still I imagine very flavorful!
Mimi Rippee
July 26, 2025 at 4:58 amYes! I love this stuff! And it’s so different than sangria. Great photos.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 26, 2025 at 6:46 pmIt’s definitely a lot later than sangria, which is what I really liked about it. Glad you like it, Mimi.
Mad Dog
July 26, 2025 at 5:55 amI think I’ll leave that one to you, though I don’t mind a chilled vino tinto, which is often served cold in Andalucia.
Melissa
July 26, 2025 at 7:31 amI’ll have to wait until it warms up here which, at the moment, feels like it may be never! This is the coldest summer we’ve had in 30 years!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 26, 2025 at 6:47 pmSorry, the weather is so cold in San Francisco but it is after all summer. Of course, you know the Mark Twain saying…
Barb
July 26, 2025 at 7:56 amSounds very refreshing! I’m not sure where to find soda made with sugar here though, and I don’t eat or drink anything containing HFCS, so I’ll likely just continue to drink crisp light wine when it’s sweltering hot.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 26, 2025 at 6:48 pmI had to go looking in natural food stores for sodas that included real ingredients and no artificial sugars or high fruit corn syrup. Not easy! If you ever do find some, it’s worth trying this. It’s quite flavorful and very light.
Carolyn J Niethammer
July 26, 2025 at 10:36 amLove all your recipes inspired from your European trip. Pictured is our favorite Tj’s tempranillo! Inexpensive and always just right. I feel a little bad for the grower and the vinter. It must take a lot of care to produce and they get so little in return.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 26, 2025 at 6:48 pmI hope they get more in return than we think, Carolyn. It is a really nice wine, and we do like it a lot.
Peg Peterson
July 26, 2025 at 11:57 amThis sounds lovely, but I have to admit I’ve always been partial to spritzers over coolers. Thinking I might like a bit of sweet, so perhaps half the soda and half sparkling water.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 26, 2025 at 6:49 pmI really think you should give this a try, as it’s not terribly sweet and it’s really quite refreshing, Peg!
Eha Carr
July 26, 2025 at 7:45 pmLike Mad Dog, may I leave that to you and just perhaps put the red wine in the fridge awhile on a very hot day. Have not had a bottle of ‘soft drink’ as we call it hereabouts (bar tonic water) in the house for decades . . . hope you’ll have a good weekend as ours reaches you 🙂 !
Cocoa & Lavender
July 26, 2025 at 7:52 pmAs I said to Mad Dog, to each his/her own. Many people enjoy this drink as is.
Marcelle
July 26, 2025 at 9:09 pmThis wine spritzer looks so refreshing and I already know I will enjoy it!! I will be sipping on one of these while by our pool tomorrow, can’t wait! Thank you, David!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 26, 2025 at 9:17 pmI hope you really enjoy it, Marcelle! Thanks so much for your nice comment.
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
July 27, 2025 at 8:32 amLove titnto de verano! Funny you should be blogging about it. I’ve been on a real tinto de verano spree lately now that our temperatures sky high.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 27, 2025 at 8:38 amWe have, as well, Frank. The temperatures have been very high and it’s so refreshing and much less alcoholic. It’s so simple that I almost didn’t post it, but I did notice that the New York Times posted it last week. In my defense, it’s been in my queue for at least two months!
Frank | M
August 4, 2025 at 11:11 amYou never know who knows what. Some of my most popular posts are about simple dishes.
David Scott Allen
August 5, 2025 at 10:19 amThat is so true and, as we both have discussed at different times, the simplest recipes are often the best!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
July 27, 2025 at 8:56 amAs you say, when the temperature and the humidity are high, a refreshing, less alcoholic drink is perfect. It would probably be good made with white wine as well.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 27, 2025 at 9:12 pmThanks, Karen — we were thinking the same thing about both white wine and rosé.
sherry
July 27, 2025 at 10:00 pmthis looks good for a summer’s day David. I just checked and we do have lemon Fanta here in australia. Who knew? :=)
sherry
Cocoa & Lavender
July 28, 2025 at 2:02 pmThat’s wonderful, Sherry — wish I could easily get it here! Cheers!
Valentina
July 28, 2025 at 3:22 pmOur friends in south of Spain (Aguadulce), are big fans of this and we’ve enjoyed it on the beach with them many times. I prefer it to Sangria, because as you mention, it’s lighter — and light is always more refreshing. Lovely. Cheers! 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
July 28, 2025 at 3:47 pmIt really is so refreshing and light — and satisfying, too. Have you ever found Fanta Limón in LA?
Pauline McNee
August 4, 2025 at 6:28 pmDavid this looks so refreshing, I’ll put this on the list for Summer drinks, which unfortunately is just around the corner. When we were in Spain, which I loved, we didn’t drink any of these with our tapas that I can remember anyway:), but we certainly enjoyed the Tempranillo, and have enjoyed it here at home as well. We don’t generally buy soft drinks or soda, but everything in moderation.
David Scott Allen
August 5, 2025 at 10:16 amAnd, while your summer is around the corner, Pauline, we are happily awaiting our fall and winter! I hope you try this refreshing drink and that you enjoy it. Note: I also don’t often drink sodas or colas, but this is my one exception. And finding with natural sugars should be much easier in Australia!
Jeff the Chef
August 5, 2025 at 4:20 amThis is so easy and simple! I love it. I’m one of those odd people who often has leftover red wine. I love it with food, but I rarelly drink it on its own. So after a dinner party, I will often have a bit left in the bottle. I would totally drink it as a tinto de verano!
David Scott Allen
August 5, 2025 at 10:13 amBelieve it or not, we also often have half a bottle of red wine, which can actually make four glasses of TdV! I hope you enjoy it this summer, Jeff!
Raymund
August 7, 2025 at 5:08 pmThis post just transported me straight to a hot Andalusian afternoon! Tinto de Verano sounds like the perfect easy-going refresher when the heat’s relentless, I love that it’s lighter than sangria but still full of summer vibes. Definitely going to try this with some lemon-lime soda next time I want to feel like I’m chilling in Spain!
David Scott Allen
August 9, 2025 at 11:48 amIt is a wonderful way to take a mental vacation to Spain, Raymund.
Inger
August 9, 2025 at 9:42 amWe’re ridiculously hot even in Wisconsin this year, so this would really hit the spot!
David Scott Allen
August 9, 2025 at 11:42 amI have heard about the heat up north. At least we are prepared for it down here. I hope it breaks soon, Inger! A tinto de verano would definitely help cool you off!
2pots2cook
August 12, 2025 at 7:56 amYes! Exactly what we need over here! THANK YOU ! 🙂
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2025 at 2:47 pmI have heard the heat has been brutal. I hope it gets better soon. A TdV is just what you need!