Its writing credits include the members of War: Papa Dee Allen, Harold Brown, Eric Burdon, B.B.

[7] It features a prevalent flute solo, and the sound of a woman speaking Spanish—a friend of Eric Burdon—is heard in the background.

[8] An edited version, released as a promo single for radio stations and subsequently included on most compilations, omits the middle spoken recitation, plus one chorus.

[33][better source needed] San Francisco band Vinyl covered "Spill the Wine" on their album Frogshack Music Volume II in 2009, in a track featuring Sugar Pie DeSanto and Marcus Scott.

[34] In 2019, the song was released as the lead single from the compilation album Mystify: A Musical Journey with Michael Hutchence.