calabriar

An obsolete, rarely-used verb meaning to mix or blend red and white wine together — historically carrying a negative connotation of adulterating good wine, tied to the once-poor popular reputation of Calabrian wine sellers (hence the name, from Calabria). Found only in old dictionaries and historical texts today.

• Los taberneros calabriaban el vino para estirar las reservas. — The tavern keepers blended the wine to stretch their reserves.
• Antiguamente se acusaba a algunos vendedores de calabriar el vino para engañar a los clientes. — In the old days, some sellers were accused of adulterating the wine by blending it to deceive customers.
• Calabriar era mal visto entre los productores serios de vino. — Blending wine this way was frowned upon among serious wine producers.

A learner should not confuse this obsolete word with mezclar (the general, modern verb for "to mix") — calabriar specifically referred to blending wine, often with a connotation of dishonest adulteration, not neutral mixing of any two things.

Often confused with mezclar.