Unlike the world of Game of Thrones, if you live in the Northern Hemisphere it’s summer that’s coming. For part of the booze-drinking population it means a beer is in order. But if you’re a part of the other half and a cold one has never been your cup of tea, you’re often left wondering: What can I drink in the summer?
You have two options really. You could resort to any sort of the traditional spirit-based cocktails and sip it slowly to little refreshing effect. Alternatively, you can be smart and have a Tinto de Verano or a Sangria.
Ah, Tinto de Verano! It’s bubbly, sweet, and thirst quenching. You can make it and drink it in large quantities, and it can be adjusted to whatever budget you have. Then there’s its equally refreshing cousin, Sangria, with the added fruit even letting you tell others you had fruit salad for lunch.
Sangria preparation takes a little longer. You have to wait some time for the fruit to absorb the wine, and the wine to absorb the fruitiness—arguably the greatest love affair in the world of mixology besides gin and tonic. Like Tinto de Verano, you can prepare Sangria in large quantities so that you’re set for the whole day once it’s ready.
Finally, although both names imply use of red wine—Tinto is red wine in Spanish, and Sangria refers to the bloody look of red wine—by no means let this limit you. White wine is as good for both Tinto de Verano and Sangria as red wine.
So just picture yourself and some friends next weekend, with two pitchers of Tinto de Verano (one white, one red), two pitchers of Sangria (one white, one red), and the whole evening to enjoy.
Ingredients
- For Sangria
- 750ml red/white wine
- 1 apple
- 1 peach
- 1 pear
- 1 orange
- 355ml lime or orange soda
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- For Tinto de Verano
- 750ml red/white wine
- 375ml lime soda
- 375ml club soda
Directions
- For Sangria
- 1Serve the wine on a large pitcher.
- 2Chop the apple, pear, and peach into small squares (1mm x 1mm). Some people like peeling the fruit beforehand, I personally enjoy the taste of the fruit's skin in sangria. Slice the orange, and then quarter each of the slices.
- 3Add all the fruit and the lime/orange soda to the wine. If you like cinnamon add the stick now. Let it sit in the fridge for at least two hours before serving—this is so the fruit and wine can infuse each other.
- For Tinto de Verano
- 1Mix the wine, lime soda, and club soda on a pitcher. Either chill or serve it over ice.
