The Perfect Party Drink is Only Two Ingredients

First things first: For the uninitiated, a kalimotxo is equal parts red wine and cola served over ice, often with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. It’s a Spanish drink, a classic from the Basque Country but enjoyed all over. It’s also a party drink: light, sweet, and with a pleasantly low ABV. I’m a recent adopter, relatively speaking, but it didn’t take much for me to become an evangelist for this unlikely combination.

Lately I’ve been obsessed with the idea of having a “house beverage,” a hosting concept introduced to me by @aroundeight on TikTok. The idea is: If you want to be the kind of person that can host an impromptu dinner party, you should always have makings of a drink that can also be served at a moment's notice.

In choosing a house beverage, as she lays out in the video, you want something relatively easy and inexpensive. It also needs to strike a balance between being unique to you and your home while also being enjoyable and accessible to the wide range of people you may plan on hosting one day.

This concept struck me, but for a while it was looking like I’d have to settle for keeping a stash of Miller High Life in the fridge. I do always have the stuff to crank out a decent old fashioned, but I’m not sure that fits the bill for most guests.

However, when I first tasted the kalimotxo in recipe development, I knew that I had struck gold. It’s easy to love, and I know that if my guests haven’t heard of it, they are in for a pleasant surprise. The trick is to pick a very dry red wine, like a Spanish rioja—it doesn’t need to be expensive. This comes into perfect balance with the sugary sweet soda, while the (optional) squeeze of citrus gives the drink a little lift.

You already know how to make it, but we have a recipe if you need a refresher. Try it yourself and go spread the good word—maybe at your next dinner party.

What’s your house beverage? Let us know in the comments