Mulled wine is a warming alcoholic drink. In winter it is served in most reputable establishments. To please yourself with the taste of hot wine, you don’t have to go to a restaurant or cafe. In a moment you will learn how to make mulled wine at home. The classic recipe is very simple, but during the cooking process you need to remember several nuances.

The first recipes for mulled wine appeared in Ancient Rome, but then the wine was mixed with spices without heating. In a Mediterranean climate, there was no point in raising temperatures. The drink became truly popular in the Scandinavian countries of medieval Europe, where spicy hot wine was served at Christmas markets and brewed at home. After several centuries, mulled wine spread throughout the continent and became popular even in regions with warm climates.

Composition of mulled wine

The classic version uses the following ingredients:

• red wine – 750 ml;
• water – 100 ml;
• sugar – 1 tablespoon;
• grated nutmeg – 1 pinch;
• ground ginger – 1 teaspoon;
• cloves – 5 buds;
• cinnamon – 1 stick (or half a teaspoon ground).

The specified amount of ingredients is enough to prepare 4-5 servings. You can experiment with the composition of homemade mulled wine by adding other spices and fruits that you like. But if you are brewing mulled wine for the first time, I advise you to stick to the traditional recipe. Then it will be easier to compare the taste of your versions with the original.

To make non-alcoholic mulled wine, it is enough to replace the wine with grape juice, otherwise the preparation technology remains the same.

Wine for mulled wine

Red table wines, dry, sweet and semi-sweet wines in the mid-price range are well suited for making mulled wine. For example, Merlot, Cabernet, Cahors, Kindzmarauli, Khvanchkara, etc. It is better to avoid fortified wines, since when they are heated, an unpleasant smell of alcohol appears, spoiling the impression of the drink.

You can make mulled wine with white wine. In this case, I recommend adding more sugar (3-4 tablespoons), since white wines have high acidity.

Mulled wine brewing technology

1. Mix spices in a saucepan and add water.

2. Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from heat. Leave for 10 minutes.

3. Strain the broth through a sieve or cheesecloth.

4. Add wine, spice broth and sugar to the pan.

5. Heat over low heat to 65-70°C.

Mulled wine should not be brought to a boil. When steam and the first bubbles appear, the drink should be removed from the heat.

6. Cover with a lid and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

7. Serve hot in tall, clear glasses or ceramic cups that retain heat.

Clarification: If you use store-bought fruits, add only the pulp to the mulled wine. To increase the shelf life, the surface of oranges, lemons and apples is treated with wax or a special polymer film is applied. The wax can be removed by holding the fruit in warm water for 3-5 minutes. It is impossible to get rid of film at home.

Reheated mulled wine loses its aroma and taste. It is better to prepare small portions and drink immediately. They snack on mulled wine with dry cookies, pies and unsweetened fruits. In Germany, it is customary to drink hot wine outdoors with grilled food, such as kebabs and sausages.

The weather is not stingy with frosts and slushy autumn-winter “thaws”. It happens that by the time you get home in December, you will be freezing in the wind until you shiver. Saving yourself from a cold with medicine by taking a couple of pills is not an option. It’s much better to wrap yourself in a warm blanket and sip a spicy drink – hot mulled wine. For hundreds of years, residents of the Scandinavian countries, Germany, Austria and Great Britain have been drinking hot wine (Gluwein) - a traditional salvation from the cold.

Mulled wine is the most popular wine cocktail (hot alcoholic drink), which has a simple and ingenious composition: heated red wine with spices (herbs) and honey (sugar).

Who invented mulled wine - the history of the origin of the drink

The emergence of mulled wine was dictated by the desire of the northern peoples to keep warm. There is no perfect formula for “flaming wine”. The world's main wine experts recommend adding cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise, orange peel, cardamom, fresh lemon, ginger, apples, allspice, raisins, chili, honey or sugar in different proportions to inexpensive dry or semi-dry wine. The main thing is that the mulled wine drink should taste good and not make you drunk, but warm you up.

The idea of ​​mixing red wine with fruits, spices and honey came from the Romans.

In Ancient Rome, white and red wines were products of mass consumption, which were exported to all corners of the empire in amphorae and barrels. During meals and numerous feasts among wealthy families, aged, old wine was highly valued.

Drinking wine undiluted and on an empty stomach was considered a symbol of barbaric excess.

To give the drink a more complex taste and the ability to preserve the fermented juice for many years, water and spices were added to the wine.

Before serving, especially in winter, wines were heated in vessels and passed through bronze sieves to remove spices and impurities. Wine with spices, for example, violet or rose petals, aloe leaves, juniper, bay leaves, mint, fennel, honey, were valued in ancient Roman medicine.

Over time, the inhabitants of northern Europe improved the recipe for hot wine, crystallized its base, and the drink acquired exactly the recognizable framework in which mulled wine is now prepared all over the world.

The origin of the name “mulled wine” is a controversial issue; it is believed that in Russian the word “mulled wine” was formed from the German “glühwein” or from the Polish “glintwajn”.

At Christmas markets in almost all major European cities from December to February, cups of hot mulled wine began to be sold directly from stalls.

The German recipe for Glühwein is considered a classic. As confirmation, Germany uses the recently discovered oldest handwritten recipe for mulled wine - glühender Wein from 1843.

Composition of mulled wine - ingredients for preparation

Wine for mulled wine

The raw materials (components) for mulled wine themselves should not be very interesting, but at the same time high quality. Using elite wines for brewing means spoiling them, “killing” the entire bouquet of aromas with fruits and spices.

Which wine is best for mulled wine?

For Glühwein you cannot take sweet or dessert wine. Only red dry or semi-dry wine. In some recipes – semi-sweet. It's good if it's a little tart. It’s bad if for 3 rubles. in tetrapacks.

It also happens to be made from dry white wine.

The ideal basis for a good mulled wine is an inexpensive but decent dry table wine in a bottle:

• Australian red dry “Poker Face”;
• Russian red dry “Gai-Kodzor”;
• red dry “Torre Abalde”;
• red dry “Badagoni”, “Saperavi”;
• Crimean white and red dry “Crimean Sommelier”;
• French red dry “Partager”.
• and many more other.

Apples

Apples, cut into small pieces without core and seeds. To prevent the slices from falling apart during cooking, there is no need to peel them.

Cinnamon

Ready cinnamon in the form of fragile empty sticks of light red-brown color. When cut, real cinnamon tubes look like a roll of papyrus paper, tightly rolled on both sides. The stick is quite brittle and easy to crush. A pinch of cinnamon (half a teaspoon without top) is equal to 0.1 g.

Carnation

Small amount of cloves. You need to use dried clove buds, not ground cloves. The spice has a rich, pungent taste, so you need to use it in mulled wine with extreme caution - 1 unopened clove bud per 100 ml of wine.

Honey

Honey is added as the last ingredient in mulled wine. To prevent the loss of beneficial substances, honey should be added to the drink as it cools - at a temperature no higher than 40 degrees, honey loses its healing properties, but not its taste.

The list of spices is not limited; mulled wine may include:

• citrus fruits: orange, lemon, tangerine or their zest;
• dried fruits, berries: dried apricots, dates, raisins, figs or prunes;
• pepper;
• star anise;
• anise;
• ginger;
• cardamom;
• Bay leaf;
• saffron;
• nutmeg;
• coriander;
• mint;
• nuts;
• fruit juices: apple, pear, orange, strawberry, etc.

The main beauty of preparing a spicy cocktail with wine is that if you follow a couple of rules, you can experiment endlessly with additives, preparation methods and types of wine. Hot wine encourages the most creative ideas; the main thing is to feel the properties of the components used in the process of preparing mulled wine and imagine them in the finished drink.

Improvisation is what many people lack in an orderly life. Mulled wine only encourages her. Do you want summer memories on an autumn evening? Add citrus fruits to your cocktail and feel the concentrated taste of the sun. At the end of the work week, do you dream of immersing yourself in the rich aromas of oriental spices? Prepare mulled wine with nutmeg, black peppercorns and cardamom.

1. There is no need to buy ready-made mixtures for mulled wine, but select cardamom, dried cloves, cinnamon sticks, etc. separately.
2. Spices are used as whole buds, sticks or leaves - ground spices make mulled wine cloudy and difficult to filter.
3. Almost all mulled wine recipes contain cloves and cinnamon. It is thanks to them that mulled wine turns out so fragrant.
4. All mulled wine recipes are conventionally divided into undiluted and diluted with water (no more than one glass of water per liter of wine). Water makes the cocktail less rich. First, spices are heated in mulled wine with water, then I add wine and, at the very end, honey.
5. Before drinking, steep hot wine for no more than 15 minutes.
6. According to unspoken German standards, a wine drink with spices with an alcohol content of less than 7% is no longer mulled wine.
7. The finished hot drink is filtered through a strainer.
8. Mulled wine is brewed in portions for a certain number of people.

Do you need to boil mulled wine?

No, mulled wine is not boiled. It is heated, stirring, to 70 degrees. Why can't you boil it? When boiling, intense evaporation of ethyl alcohol occurs and the destruction of useful substances.

Is it possible and how to store mulled wine?

The only possible way to store mulled wine is a thermos. To prevent the wine from acquiring a bitter taste, you need to remove the lemon zest from it. In this case, mulled wine can be stored for more than an hour.

What is mulled wine served with?

The presentation of mulled wine (appearance) is as important as its taste. After pouring into dishes, the wine is decorated with pieces of fruit and spices that remain after straining.

A drink with a “hot character” automatically requires reliable and strong glassware for mulled wine. Wine is boiled in ordinary steel saucepans, and even in kettles.

But they serve it depending on the situation.

At special parties, a spicy wine cocktail deserves beautiful and delicate dishes in the form of exquisite crystal or glass glasses.

In nature, surrounded by the cold of autumn foliage, it is especially pleasant to drink mulled wine from simple metal mugs (thermal cup, double-walled).

At home, from ceramic cups or low earthenware cups. Why invent something?

Why does mulled wine warm you up?

Impact on the body. After a cup of hot wine, a person feels warmth, literally, on the skin. And it’s not just about red wine, citrus fruits and honey, which in themselves are a storehouse of vitamins, amino acids and microelements. And the fact is that it is very tasty! A couple of sips and physical and psychological reserves are restored.

Immediately after preparation, warm, enjoying the healing ethereal pores. If you wait a little, the spicy wine will lose its taste and aroma. The beneficial properties disappear. The mulled wine stops heating.

Where can you drink real mulled wine in Europe?

You can drink real mulled wine in Germany at the Dresden Christmas market “Stritzelmarkt” or at the fair in Cologne from the end of November to December 24.

You can get acquainted with the Austrian version of mulled wine at the fair in Vienna, which traditionally takes place on Rathausplatz, the market in Innsbruck or Rathaus Park from mid-November to the end of December.

At the same time of year, rivers of mulled wine flow in the main squares of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.

In Sweden, you can try real fragrant mulled wine in the Liseberg amusement park, in Denmark - in the best restaurants in Copenhagen or at the fair in Old Riga, which traditionally takes place in December on Dome Square.

In Norway, for mulled wine, travelers are advised to immediately go beyond the Arctic Circle to the lively city of Tromsø.

The most expensive mulled wine is on the menu of one London bar. Its creator, Pedro Solorzano (a famous mixologist), used the great Château Grand Puy Ducasse wine and eighteen-year-old Dalmore whiskey as a base. The author added freshly squeezed apple juice, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, saffron, goji berries and tonka beans to the drink. The cost of a glass of mulled wine is 50 pounds sterling (about 5,000 rubles).

In different areas of human activity there are very ancient and truly phenomenal inventions. The dates of their appearance have been lost in the darkness of centuries. But they are so popular today as if they were know-how and invented quite recently. Mulled wine belongs to their category.

Mulled wine (German: Glühwein (glühwein) from glühender Wein - flaming wine, hot wine) is a hot alcoholic drink based on red wine, heated to 70-80 degrees with sugar and herbs (spices). Traditionally used in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic at Christmas markets and holidays held in the open air. In some countries, mulled wine is also drunk on Halloween. (Wikipedia)

In this publication we will not make an excursion into the history of this wonderful drink. Much has already been said about this and if you wish, you can find information on the Internet. Now let's talk about the main thing - how to make mulled wine at home and about the rules that must be followed in the process of preparation and consumption.

Rules for preparing various mulled wine recipes at home

Warming up is the most important step in preparing mulled wine.

The most important condition for preparing good mulled wine (subject to all other conditions) is the duration and thoroughness of heating. There are two options: warm it up for a long time and slowly, or heat it quickly and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Some recipes advise making a concentrated syrup of spices and herbs and then adding wine, which is also acceptable.

The optimal temperature of the drink is 70°C. The wine should not boil! Boiling will ruin it irreversibly. It is better not to reach the specified temperature than to exceed it.

Keep the mulled wine on the fire until the white foam that appears at the beginning of heating disappears.

Wines for making mulled wine

Wine for mulled wine is young red dry, semi-dry or white dry, and also, in theory, red semi-sweet.

In theory, because the semi-sweet wines on sale are mostly produced in violation of technology and are not suitable for mulled wine. They should be called flavored wine drinks, because they consist of alcohol, grape concentrate powder diluted with water, citric acid, flavorings, etc. Even on the world market of semi-sweet wines of natural fermentation there are not so many, because their production involves a rather complex technological process .

Dessert wines are also not suitable for making mulled wine due to their high sugar content (20%) and strength (17%).

What remains is young dry or semi-dry red wine, which is simple in technology and therefore inexpensive. Moreover, there is no need to strive to purchase elite vintage wines. They are good in themselves, and they will cost a lot for such an affordable drink as mulled wine. As for white wine, only dry wine is used.

The best wine option for making mulled wine is ordinary table red dry or semi-dry wines that do not have a pronounced aroma. The sugar content is low (0.3 g/cm³ for dry wines, and 3-12 g/dm³ for semi-dry wines). Of the white wines, only dry ones are suitable for mulled wine.

Here is a small list of proven, good wines for making mulled wine:

Red wines for mulled wine:

• Saperavi – made in Georgia
• Pinot Noir de Gai-Kodzor – produced in Russia
• Casillero del Diablo Carmenere made in Chile
• Simonsig - made in South Africa

White wines for making mulled wine:

• Likuriya (dry) - made in Russia
• Voskevaz (dry) – made in Armenia
• Simonsig (semi-dry) – made in South Africa

Water in mulled wine recipes

Mulled wines are prepared with and without water. Water is diluted to soften the taste of the wine, and it goes without saying that it must be soft and of high quality. In this case, water acts as a catalyst for oxidative processes, as a result of which the flavor range and bouquet of aromas become more pronounced. People invented diluting wine with water a long time ago. Traditionally, this drink is drunk in Georgia, Greece and other countries where the winemaking culture is at a high level.

The amount of water for mulled wine should not exceed 1 glass per liter of wine.

Water is added in two ways. The first is to boil the required amount of water shortly before use. Spices are heated in wine over low heat. Then carefully and gradually add hot water, pouring in around the edge. You cannot suddenly pour hot water into hot wine, as this will ruin the taste of the drink.

The second method is to first brew spices in water, boil for 2-3 minutes, then add sugar, and at the very end - wine.

When added to a good wine, water reveals its taste and aroma. But when mixed with low-quality wine, water reveals its shortcomings.

Spices and herbs for making mulled wine

You should not buy ready-made crumbly mixtures for mulled wine that have appeared on sale; it is better to use separately - cloves, ginger root, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, etc.

The composition of additives can be very diverse. But the main spices that are used in almost all recipes are cinnamon and cloves. Below is a list of spices, herbs, and fruits that can be used to make mulled wine at home.

• Cinnamon
• Carnation
• Cardamom
• Star anise
• Shaftran
• Ginger
• Coriander
• Nutmeg
• Bay leaf
• Pepper
• Citrus fruits or citrus zest
• Nuts
• Dried berries and fruits (figs, prunes, raisins, dried apricots, apples, dates, etc.)
• You can also add fruit juices - orange, pear, strawberry, apple, etc.

Mulled wine is a creative drink. The composition of the ingredients is selected according to preference, or whatever happens to be at hand. In both cases, the value of the drink will not change.

It is important not to get carried away with adding herbs, spices and other additives. They play the role of accents in the taste of the drink and should not overwhelm the aroma and taste of the wine. Their task is to complement the wine bouquet, creating a unique composition of taste and smell.

• Honey, due to the fact that at temperatures above 40 ° C, loses its healing qualities, is added not just at the end of preparing mulled wine, but as it cools.
• They drink mulled wine hot, from transparent, tall glasses (the evaporation area is small, the wine does not cool down so quickly), preferably with a thick bottom.
• The strength of mulled wine is ideally 7% (by German standards).
• Mulled wine cannot be stored, except that it can be poured into a thermos for a while, after removing the lemon slices (so that the bitterness does not pass into the drink). Therefore, corked bottles of mulled wine that appear on sale are nothing more than a money grab.
• Wine can only be heated once. Immediately after preparation, the drink should steep for 15 minutes (if required by the recipe). Then it is strained, poured into glasses, garnished with slices of fruit and drunk. If you didn’t have time to drink mulled wine while it’s hot, it’s better to drink it while it’s cool than to warm it up. Cannot be heated.

Here are basically all the secrets of making mulled wine at home using any recipe. It would seem like a simple drink, but there are so many nuances! Below we will present several mulled wine recipes that can easily be implemented in your kitchen. And if you carefully read all the tips and recommendations, then your mulled wine will definitely turn out tasty and aromatic.

How to make mulled wine - homemade recipes

Recipe No. 1 - Classic recipe for mulled wine at home (Pokhlebkin V.V. Culinary Dictionary)

Ingredients: Dry black tea – 5 teaspoons
Fruit juice without pulp (apple, cherry, grape) – 0.5-0.7 l
Dry red wine – 250 ml
Sugar 100-200 g
Lemon zest, lemon juice
Raisins, nuts
Spices (cinnamon, cloves, star anise) Preparation: Pour wine, fruit juices (preferably a mixture of several juices) into an enamel pan, add sugar, lemon juice and zest, spices, cover with a lid and put on low heat to warm up. Meanwhile, brew 5 teaspoons of prepared tea in 1 liter of water and let it sit for a while so that the tea leaves sink to the bottom. When the sugar dissolves in the wine and juices, pour in the tea. It is important that tea should be poured into wine, but not vice versa. Heat for some more time, without bringing to a boil. Place prepared raisins and nuts into glasses, pour in strained mulled wine. If the drink is prepared for children, no wine is added.

Recipe No. 2 – Mulled wine with dry red wine and ginger

Ingredients: 750 ml dry red wine
Small ginger root
Glass of water
1 cinnamon stick
Medium sized apple
Orange
5 carnation umbrellas
Honey – 3 tablespoons.

Preparation: Cut the apple and orange into slices. Pour a glass of water and boil in a heat-resistant container for 3-5 minutes. Then the orange segments must be removed so that they do not transfer bitterness to the wine. Cool the brewed water to 60-70°C, carefully pour in the wine and place on low heat. We must be careful that the mulled wine does not boil. Remove from heat when the white film disappears from the surface of the drink. The cocktail should sit for 15 minutes, gradually cooling. Add honey, stirring well. And the last thing to do before serving is to strain and pour into glasses.

Recipe No. 3 – Mulled wine with dry red wine and nutmeg
Ingredients: dry red wine – 750 ml
Water – half a glass
Sugar – 1 tablespoon
Nutmeg – 1
Carnation – 7 umbrellas.

Preparation: Peel and chop the nutmeg. Pour water over the nuts and cloves and boil for just a short time – just over a minute. Remove from heat, cover with a lid and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Heat the wine in a suitable container, after adding sugar. Carefully pour the previously obtained spice decoction into the wine. Continue heating to 70°C. There is no need to infuse the cocktail. Strain immediately and serve.
Recipe No. 4 – Mulled wine with citrus fruits, dry red wine and cognac
Ingredients: Wine – 750 ml
Orange
Cognac – 90 ml
Lemon
Cinnamon – 2 sticks

Carnation – 4 umbrellas

Apricot jam – 50 g Preparation: Mix wine and cognac in a bowl for preparing mulled wine. Cut citrus fruits into slices with peel. Add jam, citrus fruits, spices to the wine. Heat over low heat to 70°C. There is no need to defend. Immediately strain and pour into containers.
Ingredients: dry red wine – 750 ml
Recipe No. 5 – Mulled wine on dry white wine with cranberries
Ingredients: Dry white wine – 750 ml
Cranberries – 100 g
Ginger – root 5 cm

Allspice – 4 peas

Honey Preparation: Grate the ginger on a fine grater. Mix all ingredients, except honey, with wine in a thick-bottomed bowl. Heat slowly to the desired temperature (70°C). Remove from heat, strain and cool to 40°C. Add honey.
Recipe No. 6 – Mulled wine with dry white wine and tangerines
Ingredients: Dry white wine – 750 ml
Cognac – 90 ml
Lemon
Tangerines – 6 pieces
Lemon – 0.5 pieces
Ginger

Recipe No. 7 – coffee mulled wine with semi-dry white wine

Ingredients: Semi-dry white wine – 750 ml
Coffee (strong brewed) – glass
Sugar – 3 tablespoons
Orange
Cinnamon – 1 stick
Cloves – 3 umbrellas Preparation: Brew coffee separately (remember that properly brewed coffee is not boiled). Pour the orange, cut into slices, and all other ingredients except coffee, and heat over very low heat to 70°C. Add coffee and heat a little more, without bringing to a boil. Strain and pour into glasses.

We have provided several recipes with red and white wines. After looking at them, you will draw certain conclusions for yourself regarding the dosage of certain components. And, for sure, create your own mulled wine recipes.

We just want to draw your attention to the following fact:

Drinking hot wine with herbs and spices is pleasant and healthy in small doses. Not only the alcohol component, but also the active substances contained in the supplements dictate the need for a reasonable dosage. Two glasses for the evening are more than enough. Mulled wine is not a drink that can be drunk in liters.

Mulled wine- a winter hot alcoholic drink, which consists of wine heated to 70-80°C, sugar and spices. In the old days, in the northern part of Germany, at Christmas markets and holidays that were held in the open air, it was customary to drink wine to warm up and cheer up. But someone also came up with the idea of ​​heating the wine and adding spices to it, which was both pleasant and gave a double effect of warming.

Many people don't know how to make mulled wine at home, and buy semi-finished products in bags in stores. I advise you to cook it yourself, creatively, so I’ll tell you how to make mulled wine at home. Moreover, the recipe for mulled wine at home is no different from the restaurant recipe, except that you choose your own wine and other ingredients, and do not trust the restaurant. So here's the recipe homemade mulled wine with orange.

Ingredients

• dry red wine 750 ml
• water 100 ml
• orange 1 PC.
• sugar 2 tbsp. spoons
• cinnamon 1 stick
• ground ginger 1 teaspoon
• carnation 5 buds
• nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon
• cardamom 3 grains
• star anise 2 stars

- Usually for mulled wine use inexpensive dry or semi-dry red wine. Or, for example, a wine that for some reason you didn’t like, let’s say you thought it was very sour or too tart, it would be perfect for mulled wine. There is no need to buy very expensive elite wines to make mulled wine; adding spices and fruits to the wine will cause it to lose its entire bouquet of aromas. But you shouldn’t buy very cheap wines either.

— Try to use whole spices, not ground ones, because... ground spices make mulled wine cloudy and more difficult to filter. But still, if you can’t find cinnamon sticks, replace it with half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

— It’s the same with cardamom: you can replace it with a quarter teaspoon of ground cardamom.

— Mandatory spices in mulled wine are cinnamon and cloves. Therefore, if you do not have cardamom, ginger or star anise, then simply do not use them; the flavor bouquet, of course, will be poorer, but will still remain quite spicy and pleasant. In general, you can experiment with the composition of homemade mulled wine, add other spices and fruits that you like. For example, orange or lemon peel, allspice, and instead of sugar add honey.

— If you want a sweeter drink, you can add another spoonful of sugar. Focus on your taste.

Preparation

We prepare all the necessary ingredients. Wash the orange.

Place all the spices in a saucepan or small saucepan, add 100 ml of water and stir.

Bring to a boil, boil for a minute, remove from the stove and let stand for 10 minutes.

Strain the resulting broth through a sieve or cheesecloth into a separate bowl. Rinse the pan with water and pour the broth into it.

Slice the orange into thin rings.

Add wine, sugar and chopped orange to the pan and stir. Adding orange this way is one option. It's perfectly acceptable to simply cut an orange in half and squeeze the juice directly into the pan. But it's not as authentic. Heat the mulled wine, stirring, to a temperature of 70-80°C. It is not recommended to boil wine, since light aromatic alcohols will evaporate during boiling, but heavy ones will remain, and a taste of alcohol may appear. Remove from the stove.

Let it steep under the closed lid for 2-3 minutes, then serve in tall transparent glasses or ceramic cups that retain heat. Classic mulled wine at home ready! Let's drink it while it's hot. Reheated mulled wine loses its aroma and taste. So, if you don’t have company, it’s better to cook small portions and drink right away. Bon appetit!

By the way, you can make non-alcoholic mulled wine. If you are interested in this kind of mulled wine, the non-alcoholic recipe uses not wine, but grape and apple juice. But it seems that's another story.

Fragrant mulled wine with notes of cinnamon and citrus is a favorite drink not only of Europeans, but also of Americans. It is almost always prepared in winter, because the drink perfectly warms and tones. Today we’ll talk about how to prepare this fiery alcoholic drink from red and white wine, as well as a non-alcoholic one from juice and fruit.

Classic mulled wine is a mixture of red wine and aromatic seasonings that are added to heated liquid. It is simply irreplaceable during cold winters, which is why mulled wine is often offered to tourists visiting ski resorts.

You can prepare such a drink from any available ingredients, but most often the following spices and fruits are added to it:

• Cinnamon sticks. In the CIS countries I use crushed cinnamon powder.
• Carnation flowers.
• Citrus fruits, mainly oranges and lemons. They take on the sweetness of the wine.
• A few pinches of nutmeg.
• Sugar or honey if dry red wine is used in the preparation.
• Water, if you want a not too strong mulled wine.
• Cardamom, vanilla.
• Ginger, apples.

After preparation, the drink is drunk hot. If the mulled wine contains a lot of seasonings, then the liquid should be strained. In some cases, dry cinnamon is added directly to the glass, and pieces of citrus fruit are thrown in there.

What to serve the drink with?

Serving mulled wine involves adding a cheese plate and citrus fruits.
If your mulled wine is based on white wine, then it can be complemented with baked fish, spicy chicken or several types of cheeses. If the drink is based on red wine, then it is served with cold cuts, baked meat or chocolate.

Important! You can also complement the drink with cheese crackers, grilled vegetables, and Bavarian sausages.

What are the benefits of this drink?

Alcoholic drinks are certainly not very healthy. But mulled wine is a special case. The fact is that the traditional recipe for this drink uses natural red wine, which is not boiled during the preparation process. Light heat treatment helps preserve all the beneficial properties of the wine, so mulled wine is effective in combating the following diseases:

• Colds, throat diseases.
• Hypothermia.
• Low hemoglobin (anemia).
• Has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, improving digestion.
• Invigorates and tones the body.
• Helps overcome insomnia and psychological exhaustion.

Mulled wine is considered one of the best drinks for a romantic winter evening. Already want to learn how to cook it? Then let's move on to the recipes!

Classic winter drink recipe

To prepare this aromatic tonic drink, prepare the following set of ingredients:

1. A liter of red wine, it is better to choose dry.
2. 50-100 ml of water.
3. 15 g sugar.
4. 5-6 pcs. carnation flowers.
5. A pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon.

First, prepare a spice infusion. Add cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon to boiling water. Boil this infusion for 2 minutes, then let it sit for 10 minutes. While infusing, take care of the wine: add sugar, heat well, but do not bring to a boil. Add infusion with water and spices to hot wine, stir. Mulled wine is ready.

Recipe with honey and aromatic seasonings

This mulled wine is quite hot, but it perfectly tones and warms. This recipe is often used in expensive restaurants. To make this drink prepare:

• 1 liter of dry red wine. If you take sweet or semi-sweet, it will turn out very cloying.
• 4-5 tbsp. l. honey If you want a less sweet drink, add 2-3 spoons.
• 7 pcs. clove buds, 4 allspice and the same amount of star anise.

Place honey in a deep saucepan, pour wine over it, stir. Then add spices, heat, but do not boil.

Important! After preparation, such a drink can be garnished with lemon slices, poured into a special glass, and served hot.

How to prepare a drink if you only have white wine?

Classic mulled wine is made from red wine, but if this is not available and guests are already on the doorstep, take out 1 liter of white wine.

Important! Take dry white wine, otherwise the drink will turn out very sweet. If there is only sweet or semi-sweet wine in the house, then put more lemon in it.

So, we need the ingredients:

• A liter of white wine.
• half an orange or lemon (grind with zest).
• 1-2 tbsp. l. honey If you use sweet wine, skip the honey.
• Flavorful seasonings to taste. It is better to use classic cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Place all ingredients in a saucepan, heat, then let the mixture brew for 15 minutes, strain. Use only warm!

Custom recipe with frozen fruit

Do you have half a kilogram of raspberries lying around in the freezer? Take it out and hurry up to prepare excellent mulled wine, following these instructions:

• We need 1 liter of dry white wine.
• About 400-500 g of frozen raspberries, if it’s in season, you can take fresh ones.
• Vanilla or cinnamon stick.
• 2-3 tbsp. l. Sahara.

Pour wine into a saucepan, add raspberries, sugar and vanilla there, stir and heat. After heating, the drink is filtered and then poured into ceramic or glass cups.

Important! It's worth cutting the vanilla pod if you want it to impart its full aroma to the drink.

Alcoholic mulled wine with egg yolks

To prepare it we will need:

1. A liter of white or red wine.
2. 3-4 pcs. cloves, a pinch of cinnamon.
3. 1 glass of water.
4. 2-3 egg yolks.

Add cloves and water to the wine, then heat the mixture over low heat. While the wine is heating, beat the yolks with sugar, and then slowly add them into the wine, stirring constantly. This drink is most often served with a croissant or biscuit.

Important! Stir the drink constantly when adding the yolk. Otherwise, there will be lumps of boiled egg yolk in it.

Non-standard mulled wine for people who love chocolate

Dry red wine and chocolate go well together, so why don't we combine them in one recipe? For such a drink, take the following set of ingredients:

1. 300 ml water.
2. 2 tbsp. l. cocoa.
3. A liter of dry red wine.
4. 3-4 tbsp. l. Sahara.
5. Seasonings to taste, cinnamon and nutmeg are most suitable.
6. Zest of 1 lemon or orange.
7. About 50-70 g of dark chocolate.

Pour cocoa, sugar into a saucepan, add water, add spices and zest, bring the mixture to a boil. After boiling, cool the mixture for 5 minutes, then add wine to it and heat the future mulled wine. After this, strain the drink and pour it into tall glasses.

Important! If you want to get a thick aroma, then use 1 cinnamon stick or 1-2 pinches of ground spice.

How to make non-alcoholic mulled wine?

If you can’t drink alcohol or drive tomorrow, but really want mulled wine, then we present to your attention a recipe for a non-alcoholic drink:

1. 1 liter of good apple juice.
2. 2-3 tablespoons of fresh orange or lemon zest.
3. Chopped pulp of 1 orange.
4. 2 buds of cloves and the same number of cinnamon sticks.
5. A pinch of nutmeg.
6. 100-150 ml of clean water.

To create such a drink, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and top with water and juice. Bring to a temperature of approximately 70 degrees, avoid boiling. After heating, let the liquid sit for 15-20 minutes, then strain it. If the drink has cooled down, reheat it. Garnish the glasses with citrus slices.

Another great recipe that doesn't contain alcohol.

You get simply excellent mulled wine if you make it from hibiscus. To prepare such a tasty and unusual drink, follow the instructions:

1. Pre-brew 1 liter of hibiscus tea.
2. Finely chop the orange, do not remove the peel.
3. Now add 2-3 tbsp to the saucepan. l. any honey, chopped orange, 2 buds of cloves and cinnamon, pour in pre-brewed tea.
4. Heat, let sit for 5-10 minutes, then strain.

This drink is not only very tasty, but also very healthy. It can be used safely by both children and pregnant women.

Important! Mulled wine gets most of its “warming effect” from seasonings, and not from red wine.

You can make a drink from either fruit juice or wine. The latter option will be tastier and healthier for an impending cold. When preparing the drink, do not skimp on aromatic seasonings, because they give mulled wine a very subtle and original taste.

Video recipes for mulled wine