Tinto de Verano
(teen-toh deh veh-rah-noh)
Chapter 5: Sweets & Drinks
If you want to spot the tourists in Spain, look for the tables sweating over massive, fruit-logged pitchers of Sangria in the midday sun. The locals are drinking Tinto de Verano. Born in the sweltering heat of 1920s Córdoba, this is the true lifeblood of the Spanish tapas terrace—bracingly bubbly, dangerously drinkable, and completely unpretentious. To match the slightly more complex profile served at the best American tapas bars, this version is hit with a heavy splash of Spanish sweet red vermouth. It adds a backbone of baking spices and bitter botanicals that elevate the drink from a simple spritzer to a legitimate cocktail, perfectly suited to sit next to a plate of expensive jamón.
Before you start
Chill the liquids overnight.
The enemy of Tinto de Verano is melted ice and flat soda. You cannot mix this in advance. Instead, your prep relies entirely on temperature control. Place the red wine, vermouth, and lemon soda in the refrigerator the morning of your party.
Prep the citrus wheels in advance.
Slice your lemons and oranges hours ahead, storing them in an airtight container in the fridge so they are ready for quick assembly.
Ingredients
- unoaked Spanish red wine such as Tempranillo or Garnacha750 ml
- high-quality lemon soda3 cup
- Spanish sweet red vermouth1/2 cup
- lemon1 large
- orange1 large
- ice8 cup
Method
- 01
Pack a large pitcher entirely to the brim with ice.
Just as your hot tapas are coming out of the kitchen, pull your chilled ingredients from the fridge and fill the pitcher, sliding a few of the lemon and orange wheels down the inside glass for presentation.
- 02
Pour the wine and the vermouth over the ice.
Empty the entire bottle of chilled red wine into the pitcher, followed by the Spanish sweet red vermouth.
- 03
Top with the lemon soda to provide the necessary effervescence.
- 04
Give the mixture exactly one gentle lift from the bottom.
Using a long bar spoon, gently integrate the liquids without stirring vigorously, which will kill the crucial carbonation.
- 05
Serve immediately in ice-filled glasses.
Ensure each glass gets a wheel of citrus as you pour.
Notes
You must use a young, unoaked wine.
Do not use an expensive, oak-aged Rioja Reserva or a heavy Cabernet Sauvignon. When wood tannins are subjected to freezing temperatures and carbonation, a harsh chemical reaction occurs that makes the wine taste violently bitter and metallic. You need a Vino Joven—a young, bright, unoaked Spanish Tempranillo or Garnacha.
Adjusting the lemon soda for American palates.
If you cannot find a tart, European-style lemon soda like San Pellegrino Limonata, avoid using straight American Sprite or 7Up, which are too sweet. Instead, mix 1 1/2 cups of standard lemon-lime soda with 1 1/2 cups of unflavored club soda to mimic the drier, crisper profile of Spanish gaseosa.