Mulled Wine

vintner's mulled wine in a pot with spices such as orange, cinnamon and vanilla

The adding of spices to wine has a very long tradition in the world of wine. The Romans already flavoured some of their wine with sugar and spices to make it more pleasurable and longer lasting.

Facts

  • 7 - 14,5

    alcohol content by volume

  • from 78°C

    heat causes the alcohol to escape

More and more German winegrowers offer home-made mulled wine based on individual recipes partly in organic quality. The very fruity red wines from the German wine-growing regions are well suited for aromatic mulled wine. By warming the wine, the aromas, which are reminiscent of red fruit, become even more expressive and are wonderfully harmonious in combination with the flavouring ingredients. White mulled wines, made from Riesling or Müller-Thurgau for example, are also on offer.

Since 2022, rosé mulled wine may finally be marketed as such by name. A new specification in the EU regulation now allows this. In terms of wine law, mulled wine is a flavoured beverage containing wine, made exclusively from red, rosé or white wine and sweetened and flavoured. The addition of alcohol as well as water or colouring is prohibited. The actual alcohol content must be at least 7% vol. and less than 14.5% vol.

Warming

When warming the mulled wine you should make sure not to heat it too much or even let it simmer, as otherwise delicate fruit aromas will be lost and bitter agents will develop. Additionally, from a temperature of 78°C, alcohol will evaporate.

Flavouring

Don’t add too many spices all at once, and only little amounts. Too many cloves spoil the mulled wine. Cinnamon, star anise and allspice in too large amounts can cover the fruity aromas of the wine as well. Sweeten cautiously. If you are already using a semi-sweet wine, you often don’t need much sugar or honey.

Pay attention to quality

Make sure to use fresh spices and a quality wine. Designations such as "Winzer-Glühwein" (vintner’s mulled wine), or "Weingut" (wine estate) on the label guarantee that the mulled wine was made only from the producers‘ own wines and on their own premises. The designation "Deutscher Glühwein" (German mulled wine) on the label means that only domestic base wines were used.

Have enough time at hand

After the first warming let the mulled wine steep for a few hours, maybe even over night, so that the aromas can fully unfold. Then use a sieve to remove the spices for better enjoyment.

Drink in moderation

You will have the greatest pleasure if you use high-quality ingredients and drink mulled wine in moderation.

Recipe tips

Recipe ideas for dishes to go with mulled wine in the DWI Genießershop: shop.deutscheweine.de

Does mulled wine always have to be red wine?

No! For some years now, white mulled wines have also been in greater demand. As a new trend, fruity rosé mulled wines have also developed as a light counterpart to the heavy red wines.

a Christmassy dessert Plum roaster with cinnamon ice cream

a Christmassy dessert

  • 1 kg Zwetschgen (frisch oder TK)
  • 100 Gramm Zucker
  • 0.5 TL gemahlener Zimt
  • Eine Prise Nelkenpulver
  • 50 ml Pflaumenschnaps
  • 50 Gramm dunkler Rohrzucker
  • 2 EL alter Balsamicoessig
  • 200 Gramm Zucker
  • 4 Eigelb
  • 500 ml Sahne

Plum rings:

Wash, deseed and quarter the plums. Spread the sugar evenly in a non-stick pan and melt slowly over a medium heat. Increase the temperature and immediately add the fruit, schnapps and spices. Stir until the mixture caramelises.

Stir in the muscovado sugar and balsamic vinegar, spread onto a cold plate after approx. 3 minutes.

<p

 

<p>Cinnamon ice cream:

Combine the sugar and egg yolks and stir the two ingredients over a bain-marie until frothy.

Whip the cream, then carefully mix both mixtures and add three teaspoons of cinnamon. Carefully mix the cinnamon into the mixture again.

Pour the finished mixture into any (cake) tin or small dish, cover with aluminium foil and place in the freezer for at least three hours.

 

Place the plums on four deep plates or small bowls, cut off 2 – 3 ice lollies each and place on top, serve immediately.

  • Gewürztraminer (trocken)

with apples Pork medallions

with apples

  • 8 Stück Schweinemedaillons
  • 500 Gramm Bandnudeln
  • 2 große Äpfel
  • 200 ml Sahne
  • 10 Blättchen frischer Salbei
  • 4 Zweige frischer Thymian
  • nach Geschmack Zucker
  • 3 EL Calvados
  • 1 EL Öl
  • zum Abschmecken Salz & Pfeffer

Slightly pepper and salt the medallions on both sides. Pluck the thyme, cut the sage into fine strips and roll the medallions in the herbs. Fry the meat in a pan with a little oil on both sides, not too hot, until it starts to colour. Remove from the pan and place on a preheated tray in the oven at 100 °C until cooked through.

 

Cook the tagliatelle al dente and keep warm.

 

In the meantime, peel the apples and cut into slices approx. 1.5 cm wide. Reheat the meat pan and add the apple slices. After about half a minute, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar over the apples and allow them to caramelise. After a minute, deglaze the apple slices with a generous dash of Calvados and flambé. Add the cream and flavour with salt and pepper.

 

Remove the fillet from the oven. Add the meat juices from the oven dish to the sauce and serve the fillets with the tagliatelle, apple slices and Calvados apple sauce.

<p

  • Riesling (trocken)

the "Frankfurt Green Sauce" Quiche with herbs

the "Frankfurt Green Sauce"

  • 200 Gramm Mehl
  • 100 Gramm Butter
  • je 1 Bund Kräuter für Frankfurter Grüne Sauce (Petersilie, Kresse, Kerbel, Borretsch, Sauerampfer, Schnittlauch, Pimpernelle)
  • 100 - 125 Gramm Schwarzwälder Schinken
  • 7 ganze Eier
  • 125 ml Sahne
  • 100 Gramm Frischkäse
  • 1 EL Zitronensaft
  • nach Geschmack Salz & Pfeffer

Knead the flour and butter with 4 tbsp water and a teaspoon of salt to form a smooth dough. Line a mould with it and leave to cool for 30 minutes.</p

 

<p>Hard boil 4 eggs. Wash, drain and finely chop the herbs from the Frankfurt green sauce. Cut the ham into wafer-thin slices and spread on the pastry base. Chop the hard-boiled eggs into small

and spread over the top. Mix the 3 eggs, cream and fresh cheese and season with 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper, then fold in the herbs. Spread the mixture over the pastry base.

 

Bake at 180 °C (gas mark 4) on the middle shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes.

  • Riesling (trocken)

with honey and thyme Goat's cheese tower

with honey and thyme

  • 1 großer Apfel
  • 1 Rolle Ziegenkäse
  • 4 Scheiben Bacon
  • 4 TL Honig
  • 1 TL Thymian
  • 4 Blätter Eichblattsalat
  • frische Zweige Thymian zum Garnieren
  • nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer

Preheat the grill to the highest setting.

 

Fry the bacon slices without fat in a non-stick frying pan until crispy and drain on a piece of kitchen paper. Leave the rendered fat in the pan.

 

Wash the apple, core it with a corer and then cut it into four, approx. 1 cm thick slices. Slowly fry the apple slices in the remaining bacon fat until just cooked, using the tip of a knife to check the doneness. Place the apple slices in a lightly greased baking dish, sprinkle with thyme and place a crispy fried bacon slice on top of each one.

 

Divide the goat's cheese into 4 thalers and place one thaler on each apple slice, sprinkle with thyme again and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of honey.

 

Bake under the grill until the cheese is lightly browned.

 

Serve the goat's cheese and apple tartlets on a lettuce leaf or, if you prefer, on a bed of lettuce (add a honey-flavoured dressing)

  • Dornfelder (halbtrocken & feinherb)