Home / / An Expert’s Guide to Mulled Wine
There’s no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than with a glass of homemade mulled wine. Whether it’s the family tradition of having a glass whilst decorating your home, catching up with friends, or having a cup to hand while browsing the stalls at festive markets – mulled wine is an undoubtable Christmas classic.
This is your essential guide to all things mulled wine, including an easy recipe for making your own traditional mulled wine, tips for which wines are best to mull, serving and food pairing suggestions, and FAQs like how long mulled wine lasts.
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How to Serve Mulled Wine
Food Pairings
Mulled wine, with its rich and spiced profile, pairs wonderfully with a variety of festive foods. Here are some delightful combinations to enhance your holiday dining experience:
- Cheese Platters: The warm spices of mulled wine complement the creamy and rich flavours of cheeses like Brie, Camembert, and aged Cheddar. A cheese board with these selections can create a perfect balance with the wine’s aromatic profile.
- Roasted Nuts: Snack on roasted almonds, pecans, or walnuts alongside your mulled wine. The toasty and slightly salty flavours of the nuts pair nicely with the sweetly spiced notes.
- Festive Sweets: Traditional Christmas treats like gingerbread, mince pies, or stollen are an excellent pairing. Their spices harmonise with the wine’s own blend of cinnamon, cloves, and star anise.
- Savoury Snacks: Try a glass with some pigs in blankets, sausage rolls, or even a simple bruschetta. The wine’s spices can cut through the richness of these foods, creating a satisfying contrast.
- Dark Chocolate: For a simple yet indulgent pairing, dark chocolate is a great choice. The bitterness of the chocolate complements the sweetness and spiciness of the drink.
Serving Your Freshly-Brewed Mulled Wine
To ensure the best experience when serving mulled wine, consider these tips:
- Right Temperature: Serve mulled wine warm, but not too hot. Aim for a temperature that’s comfortable to sip, similar to a warm cup of tea.
- Appropriate Glassware: Use heat-resistant glasses or mugs. Traditional glass wine goblets might crack with the heat, so opt for thicker, sturdier glasses or even festive mugs.
- Garnishing: Enhance the presentation by adding a cinnamon stick or an orange slice as a garnish. This not only looks inviting but also adds a subtle aroma.
- Portion Size: Serve in smaller quantities, as mulled wine is richer and more intense than regular wine.
- Avoid Re-boiling: When reheating, avoid bringing mulled wine to a boil, as this preserves the flavours and alcohol content.
What is mulled wine?
Mulled wine is a warm, spiced beverage typically made with red wine infused with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, and often sweetened with sugar or honey. It’s commonly enjoyed during the winter months, especially around Christmas, and is known for its aromatic and comforting qualities.
What is the history of mulled wine?
Mulled wine traces its origins to Ancient Greece, where it was first made by infusing wine with herbs and spices for health benefits and enhanced flavour – a practice named ‘hippocras’ after Hippocrates.
Gaining popularity through Europe, especially in colder regions for its warming qualities, mulled wine evolved over the centuries, with each area adding unique touches. By the Middle Ages, it had become a cherished winter beverage across Europe.
Today, mulled wine remains a festive staple, integral to winter and Christmas celebrations, and renowned for its warm, spicy profile and enjoyed by millions annually.
Can you reheat mulled wine?
Yes, you can, and it best to do so gently over low heat on the stove, avoiding boiling to preserve the flavours and prevent the alcohol from evaporating too much. It’s also reheatable in a microwave, but again, care should be taken to avoid overheating.
What fruit goes into mulled wine?
Common fruits added to mulled wine include oranges, lemons, and apples. These fruits are often sliced or added as peel or zest to infuse the wine with additional fruity flavours that complement the spiced elements.
Is mulled wine vegan?
Mulled wine can be vegan, but it depends on the wine used as a base. Some wines undergo a fining process using animal-derived products. To ensure your mulled wine is vegan, start with a wine that is certified vegan.
What alcohol content does mulled wine have?
The alcohol content of mulled wine varies, typically ranging from 10% to 13%. This variation depends on the base wine, originally 12% to 14% alcohol, and the mulling process, which can reduce alcohol content slightly. Adding spirits or liqueurs may increase the alcohol percentage.
Does mulled wine go off?
Like any wine, mulled wine can go off, especially if it’s not stored properly. Once prepared, it should be consumed within a few days. Keeping it in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge can extend its shelf life a bit longer.
How long does mulled wine last?
Prepared mulled wine typically lasts for about 3 to 5 days if stored in a refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. It’s important to ensure it’s cooled to room temperature before storing to maintain its best quality.
FAQs
Festive Sweets: Traditional Christmas treats like gingerbread, mince pies, or stollen are an excellent pairing. Their spices harmonise with the wine's own blend of cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. Savoury Snacks: Try a glass with some pigs in blankets, sausage rolls, or even a simple bruschetta.
What wine is best for mulled wine? ›
The best red wine to use for mulled wine is Merlot, Zinfandel or Garnacha (also called Grenache). These wines are dark, fruity and full bodied, which means they can support all of the flavors we'll be adding. Look for labels that describe the wine as “jammy” or with “notes of vanilla.”
What is a substitute for cloves in mulled wine? ›
Star Anise
Star anise is available both in pod or ground form. It is especially great as a 1:1 replacement for cloves when combined with other spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
How is mulled wine traditionally served? ›
Mulled wine is often served in small (200 ml) porcelain or glass mugs, sometimes with an orange slice garnish studded with cloves. Mulled wine and ales infused with mulling spices are available in the UK in the winter months. Wassail punch is a warm mulled beer or cider drunk in winter in Victorian times.
What cheese to serve with mulled wine? ›
Blue cheese is ideal with a heavily spiced mulled wine, and we think you'll also love it paired with Stilton, Gorgonzola, aged Cheddar, or the creamy, nutty and subtly sweet style of Gruyère or Emmental cheeses.
How long does mulled wine keep once made? ›
Just follow the directions for your favorite recipe and let the wine simmer with spices until it's deeply infused. Then let the mulled wine cool at room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge — it will keep well there for up to three days.
How to serve mulled wine at a party? ›
Mulled wine evaporates at 80 °C, so make sure to keep it below this temperature. We recommend heating and serving it at around 65 °C, using a Thermapen kitchen thermometer to monitor the temperature. Serve your festive drink in warmed glass mugs to help the wine maintain its optimal serving temperature whilst drinking.
Can you use cheap wine for mulled wine? ›
If you wouldn't drink the wine on its own, then you shouldn't use it for any of the above methods. But absolutely feel free to use a “cheap” wine if you enjoy the way it tastes.
How long should you heat mulled wine? ›
Method. Put the red wine, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, lemon zest and sugar in a large pan. Cook on a low heat for 10 mins. Remove from the heat and cool, leaving to infuse for about 30 mins.
What do you call mulled wine in English? ›
Mulled wine goes by many names—spiced wine, hot wine, glögg, glühwein, and vin chaud are a few I hear used interchangeably. As far as I know, they all essentially refer to the same drink, although the spices and booze of choice may vary depending on the region.
Here are a few fun ways to garnish the mulled wine:
- Drop in a cinnamon stick.
- Drop in an orange slice.
- Dot cloves into orange peels and drop the studded peel in.
- Drop in whole spices (like star anise)
- Drop in a few cherries or brightly-coloured berries.
Just as warming as mulled wine, mulled cider is a less sweet alternative. Made using a similar technique, mulled cider is packed with spices to create a harmonious taste that can be served in mugs or fancy glasses.
Can you drink mulled wine straight from the bottle? ›
Yes. Even though the spiced wine is heated, most of the alcohol remains. I suppose you could make a batch of mulled wine with a non-alcoholic wine and that would not have alcohol.
What is the difference between mulled wine and gluhwein? ›
Gluhwein is the German term for a hot spiced wine (It is actually spelled gluehwein, or there are two dots, (an umlaut) over the letter 'u'). Mulled wine is an English language term for hot spiced wine. They may not taste the same because there are many recipes that people have to make hot spice wine.
Do you serve mulled wine hot or cold? ›
Also known as spiced wine, mulled wine is a sweet and spicy alcoholic beverage typically made with red wine and a variety of mulling spices. It's traditionally served hot and is most often enjoyed during winter, particularly the holiday season.
Is mulled wine always served warm? ›
Most do enjoy this festive drink as a winter warmer, but drinking it chilled is always an option too if that's your preference. Or you can even use your mulled wine to make a mulled wine co*cktail … which is said to be a great party drink (here's a simple recipe for a mulled wine co*cktail from BBC Good Food).
What is mulled wine good for? ›
The red wine base in mulled wine brings its own set of health benefits. Resveratrol is associated with heart health benefits and may help protect the lining of blood vessels, lower bad cholesterol levels, and prevent blood clots. When consumed in moderation, red wine has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.
What food pairs well with high acidity wine? ›
Acidity is an essential factor in wine pairing. Wines with high acidity cut through fatty foods, fitting nicely with grilled meats, creamy pasta, or fatty fish. A low-acid wine, on the other hand, complements more delicate foods, such as salads or seafood.
