A warming guide to perfect homemade mulled wine
When it's grey and cold outside, it's a sign that that time has come. The time for mulled wine. True lovers of mulled wine don't need any encouragement as they reach for this drink with a smile on their faces throughout the winter until early spring. It's no wonder, as mulled wine, like very few drinks of its kind, can enchant and envelop the senses in a pleasant haze of sweetness and spice.
The key ingredient in preparing traditional homemade mulled wine is red wine. It can be semi-sweet, semi-dry, or dry, but the last one is the healthiest option. Even if you have a sweet tooth and love the sweet taste, with mulled wine, you can simply sweeten the dry version with a teaspoon of honey. Honey will not only make it sweeter but will also change its taste.
- I recommend choosing dry red wines made from varieties that naturally have a sweetness in flavour, such as merlot. It is distinguished by an intense ruby colour and a pleasant bouquet with aromas of blackberry jam with lovely hints of cinnamon and caramel, which will blend perfectly with the spices in the mulled wine. The fruity flavour combining notes of cherry and rhubarb and a velvety texture is another reason to use this wine as the base for traditional mulled wine - says Dominik Sołtys, partner and wine adviser at HoReca Partner Centre.
However, if you're not interested in a sweet taste, and quite the opposite - you prefer a delicate acidity that refresh the wine, opt for wines from varieties with greater tartness, such as shiraz or bobal. These have a dark cherry colour and an intensely fruity nose full of aromas of blackberries, raspberries, and blackcurrants. They are delicate and refreshingly tart on the palate, so they pair well with the essential slice of orange and lemon zest in mulled wine.
Homemade mulled wine - step by step
Alright, but how do you prepare this famous mulled wine? The recipe is unbelievably simple and anyone can handle it, even if they've never had the chance to prepare a hot drink before!
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle of dry red wine,
- 2 tablespoons of honey (or less - adjust to your preference),
- 1 orange,
- 6 cloves,
- 1 piece of cinnamon stick,
- 1 star anise,
- optional: 1 cardamom pod,
- lemon zest about 1 centimetre,
- 3 tablespoons of raspberry juice,
- 60 millilitres of orange liqueur.
Preparation:
- Pour the wine into a pot and set it over low heat. Add honey, cloves, cinnamon, and anise, then mix thoroughly. If you wish, add raspberry juice or orange liqueur.
- Heat everything over low heat until the wine starts to gently steam, but do not let it boil. Be careful not to boil the wine!
- Pour the hot liquid into cups or thermal glasses, and place a slice of orange with the peel in each.
- Of course, serve the mulled wine while it's still warm and steaming – it will warm up both the throat and cold hands.
- If you want your mulled wine to look nice, you can spike the orange slices (peel) additionally with cloves. And for those who are busier or prefer sweeter flavours, we recommend ready-made solutions available on store shelves. There's plenty to choose from! - adds Dominik Sołtys.
