The Way Lady Gaga Drinks Red Wine Is A Bad Romance

The first time I ever saw someone drink wine with soda, I was just a kid. The wine drinkers were my grandma and great aunts, and they were mixing Chianti with cream soda. I wouldn't have even known it was considered a bit weird if my parents hadn't said something to that effect (although after a clandestine sip once or twice, I must say I didn't care for it). Therefore, as unusual wine pairings apparently run in my family, I'll be the last person to criticize Lady Gaga's wine drinking preference –- she likes to mix hers with Diet Coke and maraschino cherries.

Certain social media users, however, acted like little monsters when confronted with this information. USA Today tweeted a video of several people actually enjoying the drink, but the comment section was downright brutal. One person snarked, "They just make that s*** up to get y'all to drink nasty s***," while another replied, "Lady gag gag." TikTok users who tried the red wine-Diet Coke combination were less critical though. One person called it "mayhem in a glass," but admitted it was "not too foul." Another called it "very summery" and rated it seven out of 10.

Despite critiques, Lady Gaga isn't really forging a new path through the wine wilderness with her beverage of choice. Red wine and cola (although not necessarily of the diet variety) is a popular Spanish summertime drink known as the Kalimotxo. The drink dates back to the 1920s, so it may be the first known wine-soda pairing (sorry, Grandma). It didn't really take off until the '70s though when it was served at a festival in order to camouflage the taste of wine that had gone bad. That's when it acquired its name. "Kali" was the nickname of a festival organizer, and "motxo" is a Basque word for "ugly." (Apparently, honoring and insulting people at the same time was acceptable back then.)

Kalimotxo is just one of many soda and wine drink combos. Another chilled red wine cocktail called tinto de verano (which translates to "summer red wine") is made by mixing red wine with a lemon-lime soda such as Sprite or 7UP. Since red wine is often served at room temperature, adding soda not only lightens it up but also makes it more enjoyable for drinking in warmer weather.

Both the Kalimotxo and the tinto de verano are low-ABV too, making them appropriate for pool parties and other get-togethers where it's safer to have your guests not get too wasted. It may also be why the red wine-Diet Coke combo (or Kalimotxo Lite, if you will) appeals to a health-conscious star like Lady Gaga.