Ingredients
Drink
- 150 mlred wine, young and cheap
- 150 mlcola, well chilled
To serve
- plenty of ice cubes
- a slice of lemon, if wanted
Equipment
- a large tumbler, or a plastic cup at a festival
Directions
- Start at equal parts and adjust from there. Now building it, which takes seconds. Fill a large tumbler with ice cubes.
- Use plenty, since the drink should be very cold. Pour the wine over the ice first.
- Top it up with the cola, pouring gently down the side. Pouring gently keeps the fizz in the drink.
- Stir it once, briefly, with a long spoon. Add a slice of lemon if you want, though many would call that unnecessary.
- Mix equal parts wine and cola in a large jug or a plastic bottle. Add the cola last and do not shake it.
- Keep it on ice rather than adding ice to the jug, which dilutes it.
- Pour it over ice in individual glasses. Serve it immediately, while it is cold and still fizzy.
Technique
- Use cheap young wine, since cola covers everything a good wine would offer.
- Full-sugar cola only, as diet cola gives a thin metallic result.
- Stir once and gently, since over-stirring knocks the fizz out.
Substitutions
- Any young unoaked red wine.
- Lemon soda in place of cola, which makes a different drink entirely.
Variations
- Made stronger, at sixty per cent wine.
- With a squeeze of lemon, which some bars add.
- Pitilingorri, made with rosé instead of red.
History
Named in 1972 at the Puerto Viejo festival in Getxo, Basque Country, when stewards mixed cola into a batch of wine that had turned.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kalimotxo?
Kalimotxo is a cocktail from Spain: equal parts red wine and cola over ice, drunk at street festivals. Named in 1972 at the Puerto Viejo festival in Getxo, Basque Country, when stewards mixed cola into a batch of wine that had turned.
How long does Kalimotxo take to make?
Kalimotxo takes 2 min of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes 1 glass. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Kalimotxo?
Yes, within limits. Any young unoaked red wine. Lemon soda in place of cola, which makes a different drink entirely.
What is the most important thing to get right in Kalimotxo?
Mix equal parts wine and cola in a large jug or a plastic bottle. Add the cola last and do not shake it.
