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 ribbon noodles Coq au Riesling

with ribbon noodles

  • 1 ganzes Huhn
  • 0,4 Liter Riesling
  • 0,2 Liter Sahne
  • 1 kl. Glas Cognac
  • 2 Stück Schalotten
  • 1 Stück Knoblauchzehe
  • 1 Stück Eigelb
  • 1/2 Bund Petersilie
  • 1 EL Mehl
  • 50 Gramm Butter
  • 1 EL Olivenöl
  • nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer

Carve the chicken. Heat approx. 50 g butter with 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken pieces until light brown (without the lid). Season lightly with salt.

 

Finely chop the shallots, peel and finely chop the garlic. Chop the parsley and add everything to the meat. Sauté briefly with the pan closed. Pour the cognac over the meat and light it (flambé). Deglaze with 1/3 litre of Riesling and leave to simmer for half an hour over a low heat. If necessary, add a little more wine and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

 

Remove the chicken pieces and keep warm for a short time. Mix 1 tbsp of flour with 1 egg yolk and the cream and whisk into the sauce. Flavour with salt and pepper. Return the chicken pieces to the pan. Serve immediately.

 

This goes well with tagliatelle.

 

Variant:Fry 150 g fresh mushrooms in 50 g butter and add.

  • Riesling (trocken)

with fresh chanterelles Autumn bruschetta

with fresh chanterelles

  • 4 Ciabatta-Brötchen
  • 200 Gramm kleine Pfifferlinge
  • 4 EL kleingehackte Petersilie
  • 4 Zehen Knoblauch
  • 80 Gramm Pecorino (Hartkäse)
  • 8 EL kaltgepresstes Olivenöl
  • Eine Prise Salz & Pfeffer

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

 

Clean the chanterelles. Sauté the parsley in a pan with half of the oil, then add the mushrooms and cook over a low heat for approx. 5 minutes.

 

Slice the rolls and bake for approx. 5 minutes until crispy.

 

Chop the garlic into small pieces, spread on the warm bread rolls and drizzle with the other half of the oil. Coarsely grate the pecorino.

 

Stir the chanterelle and parsley mixture into the pecorino and spread over the halves of the rolls.

  • Pinot Gris (trocken)
  • Federweißer (brut nature)

with shrimps Pumpkin soup

with shrimps

  • 1 kleiner Hokkaido-Kürbis
  • 1 Zwiebel
  • 5 cm Ingwer
  • 2 EL Butter
  • 750 ml Gemüsebrühe
  • 300 ml Kokosmilch
  • 12 mittelgroße Shrimps
  • 2 EL Olivenöl
  • Eine Prise Salz & Pfeffer

Peel and dice the pumpkin, onion and ginger and sauté in the butter.

 

Deglaze with the vegetable stock and sauté for about 15 to 20 minutes until soft.

 

Sauté the shrimps in a little olive oil and leave to cook over a low heat for a few minutes. Place on wooden skewers and keep warm in aluminium foil.

 

When the vegetables have been steamed until soft, blend finely with a hand blender. Stir in the coconut milk and season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Serve the soup in large cups and garnish with the shrimp skewers.

 

Freshly baked white bread goes well with this.

  • Muskateller (halbtrocken & feinherb)
  • Federweißer (brut nature)

with wild duck breast, porcini mushrooms and glazed chestnuts Herb salad

with wild duck breast, porcini mushrooms and glazed chestnuts

  • 150 Gramm Wildkräuter
  • 4 EL Olivenöl
  • 2 EL Balsamessig
  • 8 Stück Wildentenbrüste (a 100g)
  • 2 EL Sonnenblumenöl
  • 4 EL Honig
  • 1 EL Thymian
  • 200 Gramm Steinpilze
  • 20 gekochte Maronen
  • 100 ml Apfelsaft
  • 2 El Zucker
  • nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer

Clean, wash and pat dry the wild herbs. Marinate with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

 

Preheat the oven to 220°C top and bottom heat. Season the wild duck breasts with salt and pepper, sear on the meat side in a pan with sunflower oil and cook in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes on the skin side. Remove the duck breast, brush the skin side with honey and thyme and roast for another 2 minutes on a high heat until crispy.

 

Clean the porcini mushrooms and cut into slices. Fry in a pan in oil on both sides, remove and keep warm. Caramelise the sugar in the pan, deglaze with the apple juice and simmer until the caramel has dissolved. Add the chestnuts and add a little more apple juice if necessary.

  • Pinot Blanc (trocken)
  • Gutedel (trocken)