The BEST Mulled Wine Recipe - easy mulled wine recipe (2024)

FAQs

Which wine is best for mulled wine? ›

The best wines for mulled wine are richly fruity, medium-bodied ones with little oak aging, because these stand up to the bold sweetness and spice of the hot drink without tasting too tannic. For example, try a Chilean Merlot, a Zinfandel from California or a Grenache from Spain.

Ainsley Harriott recommends mulling wines in a slow cooker and says two hours at low temperature gives excellent results and should retain most alcohol content.

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.

I've used both sugar and orange juice to sweeten mulled wine in the past, but obviously orange juice would change the flavour significantly. Add more sugar slowly, tasting as you go. In a pinch, when cold thirsty guests are waiting, port sweetens things up and adds a deep rich flavor.

Mulled Wine Ingredients:

Wine: No need to splurge on a pricey bottle — a mid-range bottle of dry red or white wine will do. (Or if you're making a big batch, this is a great recipe to break out a nicer boxed wine too!)

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.

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.

Does the alcohol cook out when making mulled wine? In short, yes, some of the alcohol burns off when boiling mulled wine, but you should only be gently bringing up to the boil and simmering for around 15-30 minutes which isn't enough time to completely remove all alcohol traces.

Most Glühwein cups are 200ml a normal Wine bottle has 750ml. The alcohol content in Glühwein is however usually slightly diluted from a "pure" wine. Probably closer to a strong beer. But 750ml of a strong beer can still get you fairly drunk.

One important thing to remember when making your mulled wine – don't boil or heat it for too long! You'll cook off all the alcohol and be left with tasty but boozeless mulled grape juice.

What to add to bottled mulled wine? ›

Cinnamon is probably the most popular spice but you could also use cloves, cardamom (lightly crush a few pods) ginger and nutmeg. Some recommend star anise but use sparingly if you don't want your mulled wine to taste of aniseed.

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.

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.”

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.

Caraway Seeds and Tarragon

The combination of these two ingredients creates a taste similar to star anise. An equal mix of a teaspoon of caraway seeds and dried tarragon can replace star anise in a recipe. Caraway seeds can become bitter the longer they are cooked so they should be added in toward the end of cooking.

If you're making mulled wine, you shouldn't completely care about the quality of the wine. All of the subtle notes in wine will be overshadowed by the intense spices and sweetness you add, so again, don't buy a Burgundy premier cru or a Trousseau from Jura or even a Chinon.

Ideally you want to use bigger and bolder red wines like Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, or Cabernet, but any fruity red wine your family members are leaving around will do. I've used Pinot Noir before to success. Honestly, whatever red wine that you're stuck with and you don't want to drink, they'll work.

Traditionally, you serve mulled wine in porcelain or ceramic mulled wine mugs. Check out our affordable collection of gracefully decorated options. The shapes and designs can vary, but they all have a wider brim than normal, making it easier to drink.

I like dry white wines, fruity and not too sweet. And I like to reach for local, Slovenian wines as we do have a lot of producers here. I usually go with a Pinot Grigio or a Chardonnay.