Mulled Wine
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.
Varietals
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 white wine Cauliflower soup
with white wine
- 3 Stück Schalotten
- 500 Gramm Blumenkohl
- 20 Gramm Butter
- 1 TL Fenchelsaat
- 50 ml Weißwein
- 800 ml Gemüsebrühe
- 100 ml Schlagsahne
- 1 Prise Zucker
- nach Geschmack Salz & Pfeffer
Peel the shallots and cut into slices.
Clean and chop the cauliflower.
Melt the butter in a pan, sauté the shallots with the fennel seeds over a medium heat for 3 minutes until colourless. Add the cauliflower, sauté for 2 minutes, season with salt and sugar.
<p
<p>Deglaze with white wine, bring to the boil and top up with vegetable stock and whipping cream. Simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes.
Blend with a hand blender, adding stock if necessary to reach the desired consistency.
Serve drizzled with a few drops of olive oil.
- Silvaner (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)
the classic with a difference Franconian cider soup
the classic with a difference
- 500 ml Weißwein (Spätlese)
- 500 ml Geflügelbrühe
- 350 ml Sahne
- 30 Gramm Zwiebeln
- 30 Gramm Weißes vom Lauch
- 30 Gramm Sellerie
- 30 Gramm Karotten
- 30 Gramm Butter
- 180 Gramm Mehl
- 2 Lorbeerblätter
- 1 EL Butterschmalz
- 4 Scheiben Weißbrot
- Nach Belieben Zucker, Muskat, Zimt, Salz
Sauté the vegetables in butter until lightly browned, dust with flour and then add the vegetable stock, wine and 250 ml cream. Add the spices and simmer for approx. 15 minutes.
Remove the crusts from the slices of white bread and cut into 1 cm cubes. Fry in hot clarified butter until golden brown and season with cinnamon, whip the remaining cream until stiff.
<p
<p> Strain the soup and flavour with nutmeg and salt.
Pour into deep plates, garnish with whipped cream and the cinnamon crusts.
- Müller-Thurgau (trocken)
- Silvaner (trocken)