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.

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)

Stuffed, with paprika and pecorino Schnitzel rolls

Stuffed escalope rolls with paprika and pecorino

  • Nach Belieben Pinienkerne, Basilikum, Knoblauch
  • 8 Stück dünne Schweineschnitzel á ca. 75g & Holzspießchen
  • 1 Glas rote geröstete Paprika
  • 100 Gramm Pecorino-Käse
  • Nach Bedarf Olivenöl, Salz, Pfeffer

Roast the pine nuts and leave to cool. Pluck the basil leaves and place in a blender with the finely chopped garlic, olive oil and pine nuts and blend gently. Finely grate the Parmesan and mix in. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

Wash the meat and pat dry. Drain the paprika in a sieve and finely grate the pecorino. Season the escalopes on both sides with salt and pepper and spread 1 tsp of pesto on each. Cover the escalopes with paprika, leaving approx. 3 cm free on one narrow side of each piece.

 

Spread the pecorino over the paprika. Roll up the meat from the coated side and pin in place with wooden skewers. Grill the escalope rolls on the barbecue for 20-25 minutes, turning if possible, and indirectly for the last 10 minutes.

  • Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir (trocken)
  • Lemberger (extra brut)
  • Portugieser (trocken)

with dry sparkling wine Sparkling wine and lime dessert

with dry sparkling wine

  • 300ml Winzersekt
  • 4 Limetten
  • 100g Zucker
  • 30g Speisestärke
  • 100g Butterkekse
  • 50g ungesalzene Butter
  • 2 Eiweiße
  • 50g grieschicher Joghurt
  • 150g Schlagsahne

Pour the sparkling wine and sugar into a pan. Chill the remaining sparkling wine. Wash 1 lime with hot water and finely grate the zest. Halve the lime and 2 others, squeeze out the juice and mix with the cornflour. Pour everything into the pan and bring to the boil briefly. Remove the pan from the heat and chill the cream in the fridge.

 

Fill the shortbread biscuits into a freezer bag, crush with a rolling pin and place in a bowl. Melt the butter in a pan, pour over the crumbled shortbread biscuits, add a pinch of salt and mix well. Leave to cool briefly, divide half into large wine glasses and press down firmly.

 

Cut the lime into slices. Beat the egg whites with salt until stiff. Stir the yoghurt into the chilled champagne and lime cream. Whip the cream until stiff and fold into the cooled cream, one after the other, together with the beaten egg whites. Spread half over wine glasses, add another layer of shortbread biscuits and finish with a layer of cream. Garnish with lime slices and pour in the remaining sparkling wine. Toast and enjoy!

  • Riesling (trocken)
  • Pinot Blanc (trocken)

with semi-frozen goat's milk Lavender waffles

with semi-frozen goat's milk

  • 2 Stück Eigelb
  • 60 ml Ziegenmilch
  • 500 Gramm weiße Kuvertüre
  • 125 ml Sahne
  • Abrieb und Saft einer halben Orange
  • 2 cl Tresterbrand
  • 8 Blatt Minze
  • 125 Gramm Mehl
  • 50 Gramm Zucker
  • 70 Gramm Butter
  • 2 Eier
  • 1 Messerspitze Backpulver
  • 1/2 EL Lavendelzucker
  • 175 ml Milch

Semi-frozen goat's milk: Beat the egg yolks and goat's milk in a bowl over a hot bain-marie until creamy. Remove from the bain-marie and beat the cream until cold. Flavour with the zest of the orange and the marc brandy.

 

Liquefy the couverture in a bain-marie and stir into the lukewarm egg mixture. Whip the cream until stiff and carefully fold in. Line a parfait tin (triangular or gutter shape) with cling film. Pour in the mixture and smooth out. Cover well with cling film and leave to freeze in the freezer for at least 8 hours.

 

About 20 minutes before serving, remove the mould from the freezer and turn the parfait out of the mould. Remove the foil and cut the semi-frozen parfait into 8 slices.

<p

 

<p>Lavender wafers: Lightly mash the butter in a mixing bowl with a fork. Add the sugar and stir a little. Add half of the milk, the lavender sugar and the baking powder. Stir in the eggs and finally the rest of the milk. Mix everything well with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes to create a homogeneous, slightly liquid mixture. Bake the batter in batches in a waffle iron until golden brown.</p

 

<p>Arrange 2 slices of semifreddo on each waffle on a flat plate and decorate with mint leaves.

  • Riesling (halbtrocken & feinherb)