Mulled wine is a delicious seasonal treat that many of us look forward to during the colder months. Whether you’re relaxing by a campfire or enjoying the snowy garden, hot wine is the ultimate drink that will keep you warm even on the coldest nights.

 

Use whole products

When preparing mulled wine it is always better to follow a classic recipe and then make small changes based on your personal taste. The main ingredients used include cloves, cinnamon sticks and citrus peel. Some like to add vanilla pods, anise and nutmeg, but it’s up to you. The important thing is to avoid powdered varieties and stick to whole products. It’s much easier to filter them once the wine is ready!

 

Avoid boiling

Although mulled wine can be made with some white wines, it is best to make it with a good red wine. While preparing the mixture, add the wine to the spices and leave to heat over low heat for up to 15 minutes. Avoid boiling the mixture furiously as it won’t do the flavour justice. A slow process is the key to success!

 

Adding other spirits

If you want you can improve it by adding a little Cointreau, Curacao or Grand Marnier. However, if you don’t want your mulled wine to have a high alcohol content, you can leave it as is. Additionally, you should only add spirits to enhance certain flavours and not overwhelm the flavour of the wine.

 

Sweeten it up

Finally it’s sugar time! Now, depending on the type of wine you use, the amount of sugar you add may vary. Plus, while you may need more sugar, your spouse or friends may prefer less. For this reason, you may want to add only a minimal amount of sugar to the mixture and allow your guests to add more if needed. Remember: you can always add sugar, but not take it away, and overly sweetened mulled wine is no longer a desirable winter treat.

 

Remember that mulled wine should be served hot. In most cases you will not be able to drink it right away, but rather enjoy its pleasant aromas while waiting for it to cool little by little. For this reason it is important not to serve hot wine in fragile glass glasses or ordinary wine glasses. Instead, choose a sleek, clear coffee mug or half-pint beer mug. Make sure the glasses are not frozen when you pour the wine, otherwise they may break! Place a lid on any leftover wine, or if you have a pump flask, you can make more and store it in the flask to enjoy later in the day or evening.