Tinto de Verano, The Story of Spain's Ultimate Summer Drink

Summer delights...

Tinto de verano "summer wine" is a quintessentially Spanish beverage enjoyed by both Spaniards and tourists during the summer heat. 

The creation of this unique drink dates back to the early 20th century when mixing wine with carbonated beverages became popular in Cordoba. The Avenida de la Arruzafa was the gathering spot for musicians and other notable personalities who enjoyed sipping on a blend of wine with sparkling water.
It was there, in a bar named La Venta de Vargas, run by Federico Vargas Martínez Mahedero, the idea of mixing wine with soda was born. Over time, Vargas began to add fruits to the basic recipe, such as lemon, orange, and others. "Vargas" became over time the name of this beverage, which you can order in bars in various versions, for example, with the addition of vermouth.

Drink Tinto de verano consists of red wine (most often, it's a gentle, light table wine) and a carbonated beverage, typically Sprite or 7Up in practice. It's served with ice, oranges, or lemons. If it weren't for the fizz, in taste, it would be very similar to another Spanish wine-based cocktail - Sangria. 

The best Andalusian recipe:

• 1:1 red table wine mix with Sprite or 7Up
• add ice cubes and a slice of lemon
• Optionally, a glass of rum or vermouth may be added to enhance the flavour