Red Wine and Coca Cola - San Sebastien

1finny

1finny

Well-known member
Let’s be clear from the start - I didn’t.

But, I had no idea it was a ’thing’ either - especially in SS lauded as a food and drink destination.

We were lucky in that we happened to be here when the local rowing festival was taking place. Basically all the basque regions and towns send teams to compete in the event which starts close to the beach before taking a route out to sea and back.
There are around 18 in a boat and 000s flock to the city to see it.

At the end, all hell breaks loose as they head to the old town for celebrations which go on and on. All supporters wear the colours of a team and mingle, sing and drink and drink. It’s brilliant.
Lots were drinking 1/2 Litres of a black looking drink - then I saw them being ordered. Roughly 50/50 red wine and coke. Mad.

As for SS - as many have said, a great city. So much to see and do - great cycling around town. Learning about the basque heritage and way of life has been fascinating.

The old town is fun but I was spoilt for food and drink before I came here in Logrono. Their pintos is better and….certainly cheaper. The best ‘foodie’ experience of the holiday.
Having said that the SS experience is truly wonderful too and on a much bigger scale.

I never knew SS was the home of Real Sociedad either.
 
I watched the Full Swing netflix documentary (golf) and the episode focusing on the South American guys they were all drinking that. Seems like it's popular right across the Spanish speaking world. Sounds horrible but there are enough people drinking it that it can't be all bad.
 
1finny said:
Let’s be clear from the start - I didn’t.

But, I had no idea it was a ’thing’ either - especially in SS lauded as a food and drink destination.

We were lucky in that we happened to be here when the local rowing festival was taking place. Basically all the basque regions and towns send teams to compete in the event which starts close to the beach before taking a route out to sea and back.
There are around 18 in a boat and 000s flock to the city to see it.

At the end, all hell breaks loose as they head to the old town for celebrations which go on and on. All supporters wear the colours of a team and mingle, sing and drink and drink. It’s brilliant.
Lots were drinking 1/2 Litres of a black looking drink - then I saw them being ordered. Roughly 50/50 red wine and coke. Mad.

As for SS - as many have said, a great city. So much to see and do - great cycling around town. Learning about the basque heritage and way of life has been fascinating.

The old town is fun but I was spoilt for food and drink before I came here in Logrono. Their pintos is better and….certainly cheaper. The best ‘foodie’ experience of the holiday.
Having said that the SS experience is truly wonderful too and on a much bigger scale.

I never knew SS was the home of Real Sociedad either.
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I stayed at a friends house in the early 2000s.. fresh out of collage me and other friend did not much care for the taste of wine.. we found a stash of old wine bottles downstairs in a big floor to ceiling wine rack.. anyway.. we pinched a few and mixed them coca cola to make them taste better.

in the morning a bit worse for wear.. the mam and dad were arguing and the dad took the fall for us.. he was really nice about it and said at least we had good taste.

no idea what we'd drank.. but looking back it must have been worth a few bob!
 
heyyyy... could probably sort one of these fantastic high brow drinks out at the footy!

how very refined of me drinking my calimochos!!
 
Went to Germany (Cologne) on a weeks exchange during college and all the young drinkers used to drink Kölsch-Cola which was half the local beer and half coke, sacrilege if you ask me. You could even get it in bottles.
 
I haven’t drunk Coca Cola for over 40 years and I ain’t starting by putting it in red wine.
even good red wine is cheap here btw

I think the key for them was to keep going for hours and hours so the dilution and sugar prob works
 
I have watched them train for the boat races at San Sebastian but never seen them race.

It sounds like you are having a good time - I saw this link earlier and thought it could be you and your wife struggling through the mountains and joining a race.

 
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We used to do it at Uni, particularly useful if you've not got a vintage red to hand ;)

One of the first people I ever saw do it was Dominic Masters, lead singer from The Others (remember them!) when we were having a few drinks with them.
 
joeydiaz said:
Went to Germany (Cologne) on a weeks exchange during college and all the young drinkers used to drink Kölsch-Cola which was half the local beer and half coke, sacrilege if you ask me. You could even get it in bottles.
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Ouch, now that IS sacriledge, even though I'm more partial to an Alt Bier personally.
 
Isn’t the point that it dilutes a crappy red.
I had my fill in SS. Found a hillside bar with superb views and downed far too much in the sun.
Came back to UK had Covid for the first time and can’t even smell a red wine without gipping. On the plus side I’m now back into white wine which I’d given up on years ago. Bread and Butter Chardonnay is my new favourite…
 
Very common and drank a lot of this when I was in Spain, it’s tasty.

Ideal way to improve grim, dirt cheap table wine and controversially, as a certified wine hater, I think the sugar makes every red wine taste good - despite being tempted a few times I haven’t asked for a splash of coke whilst on a winery tour… yet.

Read an article a few years ago where some genius was trying to brand this up in the UK as the next Aperol Spritz.

San Sebastián sounds like a little paradise on earth by the way, glad you’re enjoying it. Agree on Logrono, incredible food like all across the Basque Country. French cooking at Spanish prices and sizes!
 
Returning back to the hotel in the rain last night we took cover in a bar off the beaten track.
I’d heard about a particular local brandy - and they had it…

Settled in to watch the rain drinking it - gorgeous
3 euros a glass ….
 
1finny said:
Let’s be clear from the start - I didn’t.

But, I had no idea it was a ’thing’ either - especially in SS lauded as a food and drink destination.

We were lucky in that we happened to be here when the local rowing festival was taking place. Basically all the basque regions and towns send teams to compete in the event which starts close to the beach before taking a route out to sea and back.
There are around 18 in a boat and 000s flock to the city to see it.
Click to expand...

We were there at the same time, and it was great with all the different villages drinking, singing and dancing. We went for a run to the top of the hill (the one with the statue of Christ) on Sunday morning and had a great view of the rowing, although the helicopter was pretty close at times, so much so it was like running into a headwind.
 
I used to knock about with some South Africans years ago and it was a thing over there. I think it was viewed as a drink for kids/new drinkers. I tried it and it was actually quite nice. They also have a thing called a Brown Cow - which is half milk and half coke - again, quite nice!
 
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