Incredibly refreshing, this is the Red Wine Spritzer you'll be making and drinking ALL summer long! Sangria's fizzy cousin, this red wine and soda cocktail is a hit with everyone - even those who don't like red wine!
Why you will love this cocktail
When it's hot, I love a good, bubbly drink like a Rum Mule or Gin and Ginger Ale. Simple to make and not too sweet, these are, IMO, the perfect summer cocktails!
Which brings me to this cocktail - and one I thought I'd never post.
This simple mixture of red wine and soda is sweet, tart and incredibly thirst-quenching. In Spain, it's known as "Tinto de Verano" and is popular during the warm summer months.
Lower in alcohol than Sangria, this red wine spritzer is perfect for sipping on a sunny afternoon - by the pool, on the deck or just lazing around with a good book.
With only two ingredients, it's an ideal drink for a crowd - and it's pretty!!! (and I love a pretty cocktail...).
So now that I've convinced you to try it, let's get to it...
Ingredients
The ingredients are very basic..
- Red Wine - In Spain, they make this with inexpensive red table wine. If you can find inexpensive Spanish red wines, by all means, use them. If you can't though, stick with lighter, fruitier red wines. A Shiraz,Merlot or a Malbec are good choices as are Red wine blends (like what I used). You don't need an expensive wine, but just make sure it's one you would enjoy drinking on its own.
- Lemon-Lime Soda - In Spain, they typically use Fanta Limon - but since that can be hard to find in the U.S. I used Sprite. If you like a sweeter, more lemon flavored cocktail, sparkling lemonade (or a mix of lemonade and sparkling water) is a great substitution.
- Oranges, lemons, and mint - You don't need these to make the cocktail but they are a nice addition!!!
How to make a Red Wine Spritzer
This is honestly the easiest cocktail to make and you don't need any fancy cocktail equipment either! As for what kind of glass to use, you can use any drinking glass - a rocks glass, a tom collins glass or a wine glass - they all work well.
- Add ice to your glass of choice.
- Fill the glass halfway with red wine.
- Top with lemon line soda or sparkling lemonade.
- Stir lightly and garnish with lemon and oranges slices and fresh mint, if you're feeling fancy!
Sit back and enjoy!!
The "secret" to making a delicious spritzer is the ratio of wine to soda.
The "spritzer" ratio
For a red wine spritzer, a ratio of equal parts of red wine to soda balances the sweetness of the soda with the tartness of the wine.
For a white wine or rose spritzer, the ratio of 3 parts wine to club soda works well since it doesn't dilute the wine's flavor.
The latest from A Communal Table
A spritzer is similar to a spritz. While a spritz is typically made with fortified wine, sparkling wine, and soda water a spritzer is usually made from white wine and soda or sparkling mineral water.
Developed in Austria, the word "spritzer" comes from the Austrian word "spritzen" which means to spray.
Spritzers are popular throughout Europe. Italy is known for the Aperol Spritz and Spain is known for this Red Wine Spritzer - a.k.a Tinto de Verano as well as for the Rebujito - a mixture of sherry wine and lemon-lime soda.
Red wine isn't the first thing you think of when thinking of mixers. But it's amazingly versatile! you can mix it with..
Coca Cola - believe it or not, this combination actually works! You can use the same proportions that I listed in the recipe below.
Soda water - most spritzers are made with sparkling water or club soda. Using a flavored soda definitely ups the flavor!
As a float on a whiskey sour - Known as a New York Sour, it's incredibly delicious!
Sangria - mixed with brandy and chopped fruits a good Sangria is refreshing - but definitely packs a boozier punch!
Other summer cocktails you might enjoy
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Tinto de Verano - a Red Wine Spritzer
Equipment
- bottle opener
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 750 ml Bottle of Red wine
- 1 750 ml. Sprite
- 1 lemon optional
- 1 orange optional
- 1 bunch mint optional
- 6 cups ice
Instructions
- Fill a rocks glass or large goblet with ice.
- Add 4 ounces of red wine.
- Pour in sprite or sparkling lemonade.
- Add lemon and oranges slices if desired and garnish with mint.
- Serve.
FOR A PARTY:
- Add ice to a large pitcher.
- Add the bottle of red wine.
- Pour in the sprite or sparkling lemonade.
- Add orange slices, lemon slices and mint.
- Stir.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Ingredients
- Red Wine - In Spain, they make this with inexpensive red table wine. If you can find inexppsensive Spanish red wines, by all means, use them. If you can't though, stick with lighter, fruitier red wines. A Shiraz,Merlot or a Malbec are good choices as are Red wine blends (like what I used). You don't need an expensive wine, but just make sure it's one you would enjoy drinking on its own.
- Lemon-Lime Soda - In Spain, they typically use Fanta Limon - but since that can be hard to find in the U.S. I used Sprite. If you like a sweeter, more lemon flavored cocktail, sparkling lemonade (or a mix of lemonade and sparkling water) is a great substitution.
- Oranges, lemons, and mint - You don't need these to make the cocktail but they are a nice addition!!!
For a party
Since this cocktail uses soda, you really can't make it ahead - but it's so simple you don't need to! But there are two ways you can serve this cocktail so you aren't making them when you need to be doing other things!- Make a large pitcher and let guests pour their own. If everyone is coming around the same time, this works great!
- Set up a drinks station. Set out the "recipe" with bottles of wine and soda. Put the citrus slices and mint in pretty containers. Put out a container full of ice and plenty of glasses and let guess make their own - a great way to "break the ice" at parties!
Valentina says
Nancy, we had one almost every day when we were in Madrid and then northern Spain this past summer. My Spanish friend who live in Madrid serve it daily. 🙂 Love it, and yours is so pretty! ~Valentina
Julie says
i love that glass in the photo! can you tell me where to find glasses like that?
thank you for the recipe.....this sounds great.
Nancy says
Hello Julie,
I love these glasses too - I found them in a vintage store and I can't find a manufacturer for them. Wish I could tell you exactly where to find them.