Mulled Wine, Gluhwein or Glogg, no matter what you call it you should be enjoying some this Christmas and holiday season.
Seeing as though Mixology and craft cocktail making has made its way from the fringes to the mainstream I though a quick little note on my favourite holiday drink would be the perfect fodder for this week’s Drink Up!
While the idea of infusing wine with herbs spices and a knock of spirit isn’t new. In fact its’ origins date back to the Romans, I felt that perhaps it was time for me to share my love for mulled wine. While it didn’t become associated with Christmas until 1890 once it did it quickly became a holiday staple.
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/mulled-red-wine-231224 is the link to the Epicurious recipe that I rely on which sources Gourmet 2004. I love using whole spices and yes prefer the lemon to orange for my citrus. Lately I’ve been using 2016 Ghiga Barbera d’Asti for my base. Lots of fruit with minimal tannin and no oak makes it a perfect base for mulled wine. When selecting try to shy away from any wine with heavy oak influence as those are the spice notes that you will be infusing into the wine. A key thing to remember when making mulled wine is to not let it boil. Think of it as making tea where you’re using wine instead of water. Wines with an ABV around 13% or under also work quite well.
You can play around with the spirit by using Brandy, Calvados, Schnapps, or Aquavit and of course the different styles available under those types of spirit. The whole idea is to have fun and enjoy creating a warm beverage, perfect for enjoying by the bonfire or fireplace. The process does not take long so you can make many different batches over the holiday.
Leave A Comment