Something similar to mulled wine already existed in ancient times. Back then, wine was mixed with honey and various spices, such as pepper and saffron, and roasted date seeds were added. Today, mulled wine is traditionally made from white or red wine, refined with spices such as orange peel, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. While red mulled wine is considered a classic, white mulled wine is becoming increasingly popular.
If you don't fancy drinking your mulled wine in the cold at the Christmas market, but would much rather enjoy it at home and try out new, exciting variations, then you should make it yourself this year.
1. The basics - the right wine
Before you decide on the individual ingredients for the mulled wine, you should first find the right wine. Industrially produced mulled wine usually contains a lot of fusel oils and a lot of refined industrial sugar to cover them up. The fusel oils cause the famous hangover the morning after and are a sign of poor quality wine. Therefore, the basis of your own mulled wine should first of all consist of a good, high-quality wine.
Then you need to decide what type of mulled wine you want to make. There are both white and red mulled wines. They differ mainly in the spices they contain. Red mulled wine tastes rather strong, wintry and round, while white mulled wine has a lighter, less intrusive and more delicate taste. In addition, white wine is generally perceived as lighter and fresher - red wine, on the other hand, tastes heavier and stronger.
2 Here we go - heat up the wine
Once you have decided on a wine, you can start making it. To do this, place one or two bottles of the wine in a large pot and heat it over a medium heat. Caution: The wine should not boil! This is because the alcohol it contains will gradually evaporate and the wine will lose its flavor.
3. The details - choosing the spices
Now it's time to refine your mulled wine. Your creativity is required here. However, not all spices go equally well with red and white mulled wine.
Spice tips for white mulled wine
The somewhat finer white mulled wine is particularly impressive due to its rather restrained, almost light taste. It is particularly delicious and fruity when you mix it with around 250-500 ml apple juice. It goes well with spices such as organic lemon peel, ginger or cardamom. The white mulled wine is particularly exciting with our maca powder. Maca is considered a superfood with healing properties and tastes intense, slightly spicy and exotic, giving the drink an extraordinary flavor. For a little more sweetness, you can also stir in some coconut blossom sugar to taste. Suitable wine varieties include Riesling or Chardonnay.
Spice tips for red mulled wine
Red mulled wine is characterized by its full-bodied aroma and intense, wintery spices. It becomes particularly aromatic with a little cranberry or pomegranate juice. The light acidity harmonizes perfectly with sweet spices such as Ceylon cinnamon or vanilla. A little of our rosehip powder also gives the wine a fruity, sweet taste. If you prefer something more classic, you can simply add orange peel, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. You can also sweeten the wine with a little coconut blossom sugar. Varieties such as Merlot or Trollinger are suitable.
4. Final sprint - mix, leave to infuse, done!
You are welcome to add whole cinnamon sticks or vanilla pods to the liquid in both variants, which must be removed before consumption. This gives the wine an even more intense spicy flavor.
The spices are stirred into the heated wine and should ideally be left to infuse for around 30 minutes. It is best to cover the pot during the infusion process.
You can then use a ladle to pour the wine into a large cup and enjoy it hot. Christmas market feeling guaranteed!
The KoRo team wishes you a Merry Christmas.
