How to prepare a good summer "Tinto de verano"

At Enrique Tomás, we teach you how to prepare a delicious and very fresh summer red wine. In summer, when the days are longer and warmer, it is common to go out for a drink, sit on a terrace and enjoy the culinary delights.  As examples, a glass of tinto de verano with a tapa of Jamón Ibérico. Soft drinks like tinto de verano or Spanish sangria are a symbol of this season of the year. We show you how to make tinto de verano!

What is tinto de verano

We can define it as the most historical drink in our country. It is believed that it was created in the early 20th century, as a typical summer beverage, hence its name. It could only come from a very hot area, and so it seems that its inventor, Antonio Vargas, owner of a Venta called "Venta de Vargas" in Cordoba, came up with the brilliant idea of quenching the thirst of his customers by serving the red wine, which nobody wanted to give up, with a siphon. It seems that great Andalusian singers and dancers came to this facility for meals and accommodation during their tours and performances. Thus, this drink was gaining fame to the point of becoming a reference that would leave its mark until today, being the most basic combination of this time of the year.

In the 60's, when the tourist boom began in Spain, this drink was served to tourists in a very funny glass and became very fashionable as a claim in the movies and on television at the time. In Spanish homes people drank a variant of tinto verano, which was basically the same thing, but instead of “sifón” a kind of soda, another very popular Spanish drink was used: “gaseosa” (very sweet soda).

When temperatures reach our peninsula with the intensity we know so well, we need refreshing and cold drinks to lessen the heat. The tinto de verano has become one of the most popular drinks and with the Spanish Sangria they are symbols known worldwide under the name of Marca de España (Spanish brands)

How to prepare tinto de verano

It is true that nowadays in any supermarket or bar we can find it already bottled or in brick, and each time the brands improve their formulas. However, from Enrique Tomás we recommend that you venture to prepare it in the traditional and homemade way. It will be Delicious and very easy!

The ingredients are really well known and the preparation process is very simple and fast, so you will have it very easy for everything to turn out well. Besides, this way you can adapt it to your taste by adding more wine or more soda

The ingredients:

Basically there are two: the red wine and the soda drink, gaseosa or lemon soda (optional).

To serve it you can use a pitcher, a wide glass or a cocktail glass, as you prefer.

Preparation:

There is no unique way, it depends on the consumer's taste. It is advisable:

The wine, if combined  with soda or lemon soda that are already very sweet, it is not necessary that it is a sweet wine, but not dry either; on the other hand if the soda is the chosen one, better to use a red wine more friendly and sweet to the palate. An ordinary red wine, even a barrel wine for both cases is recommended.

As for the proportion, half wine and half soft drink or soda. We recommend adding ice to make it even more refreshing, but not too much, as it may water it down and lose the fizziness of the soft drink, and that would be a shame!

Other summer drinks

There are many typical drinks in Spain, and of course alcoholic and non-alcoholic. They are usually the ideal accompaniment to the typical Spanish tapas. We are going to give you some examples so that you can decide which one is the most suitable for you.

Sangria

Spanish sangria is one of the most international drinks of our country and there is no place you go where you are not understood when you say the word "sangria". It is the ultimate summer drink that has crossed our borders and fills the terraces of our bars and restaurants when it is hot. You can make it with wine, Cava or Champagne. It is served very cold and is ideal as a refreshing drink for the summer. Wine sangria, without a doubt, is synonymous with joy, friends and partying, a symbol of Spanish gastronomy together with Spanish tapas, and of course, Spanish Jamón.

We also show you how to prepare it!

The Kalimoxo

It is a variant of the tinto verano, where the soft drink is cola instead of lemon or soda.

Horchata

Delicious drink made from the fruit of the tiger nut, with water and sugar.

Fruit smoothies

Take advantage of the great variety of exquisite fruits that our country produces in summer to make delicious smoothies with their juices, refreshing and vitaminic at the same time. It's a pleasure!

What to accompany the summer red wine with?

We bring you a recipe idea just for these occasions and very typical during the summer: the table of Iberian cold meats and seasonal fruits. An option that is ideal for those lunches and dinners shared with friends or family and that fits perfectly with the summer red wine.

One of the most typical starters of our gastronomy is the variety of Iberian cold meats, Jamón ibérico and cheese, and enjoying these accompanied with bread is undoubtedly a pleasure that will please everyone. In addition, if you add the most typical seasonal fruits of the summer as accompaniments, you will get a lighter, refreshing and ideal lunch or dinner for hot days. 

Learn how to prepare your ideal Spanish Jamón platter.