How to make the perfect mulled wine this Christmas

It’s official – December is here and we can finally start talking about Christmas without adopting a hushed tone and checking over our shoulder to make sure the Grinch isn’t nearby.

From carols around the Christmas tree to endless boxes of chocolates in the office, there are many tell-tale signs that “holidays are coming”, but there’s one festive tradition we’ve been anxiously waiting for since September…

With the days becoming ever colder and darker, we’re dreaming of wrapping our chilly fingers around a steaming hot mug of mulled wine.

Mulled wine, often referred to as spiced wine, is a red wine-based beverage made with mulling spaces and commonly served hot or warm. Over the year it’s become a popular drink to enjoy, especially at Christmas time.

Finding the perfect recipe isn’t easy – everyone has a different idea of exactly which spices to use, but we’re sure that if you follow a few simple rules you’ll end up with a delicious mulled wine that will have you glowing with Christmas spirit in no time.

Choosing the wine

Our favourite part! There are a couple points to remember when choosing your wine for mulling. Most recipes recommend choosing something bold, fruity, preferably unoaked and with low tannins.

Delia Smith favours a Bulgarian Cabernet Sauvignon while Jamie Oliver prefers a Chianti, but Mary Berry doesn’t have a preference.

We’ve picked a selection of our favourites which will do just the job.

Aluado Alicante Bouschet 2019

This almost black red from Portugal has bags of intense forest fruit flavours with a hint of cinnamon making it a bold enough wine to stand up to lots of fragrant spices. It’s also got heaps of praise, having won five golds, a Best Buy and 90 points from Wine Enthusiast over two vintages .

Pillastro Primitivo 2019

How to make mulled wine

Pillastro Primitivo is an excellent choice for making mulled wine

Packed with spiced plum and raspberry flavours, this rich, dark red has bagged 50 awards in the last seven vintages, while the winery has twice been voted southern Italy’s finest. With more 500 five-star reviews, it’s a customer top favourite.

Cabalié 2019

This rich red wine needs very little introduction, it already has an illustrious medal-winning history. We think its deep plum and prune flavours with hints of sweet spices and herbs make it an excellent option for mulling.

El Bombero 2019

This big, smooth red is a regular favourite among our customers. Packed full of spicy black fruit flavours, El Bombero will definitely stand up to any number of flavours you throw at it when making mulled wine.

Willy Willy Shiraz 2020

Willy Willy Shiraz

Add a bit of Aussie sunshine to your mulled wine with Willy Willy

This super-juicy Shiraz sums up all that we love about Aussie wine. Year after year Willy Willy (the name is Aboriginal for the dust storms that occasionally whip through the vineyards) is one of our best-selling Australian reds due to its deep spiced plum and blackcurrant flavours – perfect for pairing with strong spices.

Choosing the spices

This is where recipes can vary quite drastically.

A classic mulled wine will include oranges, cloves and cinnamon, but you can also add lemons, limes, vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom and star anise. Some people even swear that adding a couple of tea bags is the secret ingredient in their family recipes.

The biggest decision to make is whether you will cook all the spices in with your wine, or make a syrup first.

As you can imagine, Delia and Mary keep things very simple, simmering all of the spices and a few tablespoons of sugar with the wine.

However, Jamie says making a syrup first (by boiling the spices and sugar with a splash of wine) is the best way to go. He claims as it adds a wonderful flavour, and minimises the amount of alcohol which is burned off in the cooking process.

To save you the hassle we’ve got a gourmet mulled wine syrup which you can just add to your wine and heat up.

However, if you’re making your own we’d recommend using white caster sugar above anything else. Honey and soft sugars are too strong of a flavour.

The finishing touches

Once you wine has simmered gently for around 20 minutes it’s time to serve, but not before you add one final extra flourish.

Delia recommends a splash of fruit liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier while Mary Berry suggests a drop of brandy. If you’re feeling really brave you could follow the Swedes and add a touch of vodka to turn your mulled wine into Glögg.

However we reckon a spiced rum or a sloe gin would give your mulled wine the extra kick it needs.

Chase Vodka

Made on a family farm in Herefordshire, Chase vodka is taking the world by storm. This British spirit is great served neat, but we suggest adding a couple of measures to liven up your mulled wine a bit!

Plantation 5-year-old Barbados Rum

Named the world’s best rum, this double Gold medal-winner is part of the Caribbean collection produced by Cognac Ferrand. It goes through a special double maturation – ageing in bourbon casks in Barbados, then in Cognac barrels in France – which is bound to add extra luxury to your mulled wine.

Frapin VS 1270 Cognac

If you fancy a glug of brandy in your mulled wine, you can’t go far wrong with this warming Cognac. The Frapin family have been honing their craft at Château Fontpinot in Segonzac for nearly 800 years and this one is their classic house style.

Over to you

Now you’ve got all the knowledge you need to create a great batch of mulled wine, we’d love to know how you get on. Why not get in touch on social media to show us your warming punches. You can tag us in your photos on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

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About Laithwaite's Wine

We’re wine nuts, not wine snobs. We’ve been exploring the world on a mission to find great wine for the last 50 years. If you love adventure as much as we do, you belong with us. We know our winegrowers like family – and in some cases they actually are. Expect to hear from these legends of the soil, see behind the scenes access into vineyards and wineries and get news on fresh finds from our travels on this page. Drink responsibly. Visit drinkaware.co.uk for further health information. You must be aged 18 or over to follow.

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