Mulled wine recipe at home. What is mulled wine (gluwine) - the history and composition of a hot alcoholic drink with wine

The weather does not skimp on frosts and slushy autumn-winter "thaws". It happens that until you get home in December, you will vegetate properly in the wind until you shiver. Escaping a cold with medicines by taking a couple of pills is not an option. Much better, wrapped in a warm blanket, drinking a spicy drink - hot mulled wine. For hundreds of years they have been drinking hot wine (gluvain) - a traditional salvation from the cold and residents of the Scandinavian countries, Germany, Austria and Great Britain.

Mulled wine is the most popular wine cocktail (hot alcoholic drink), which has a simple and ingenious composition: heated red wine with spices (spices) and honey (sugar).

Who invented mulled wine - the history of the origin of the drink

The emergence of mulled wine is dictated by the desire of the northern peoples to keep warm. There is no perfect formula for "flaming wine". The main wine experts of the world recommend adding cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise, orange peel, cardamom, fresh lemon, ginger, apples, aromatic peppers, raisins, chili, honey or sugar in various proportions to inexpensive dry or semi-dry wine. The main thing is that the mulled wine drink should taste good and not intoxicate, but warm.

The idea of ​​mixing red wine with fruits, spices and honey came from the Romans.

In ancient Rome, white and red wines were products of mass consumption, which were exported to all corners of the empire in amphoras and barrels. During meals and numerous feasts with wealthy families, aged, old wine was highly valued.

It was considered a symbol of barbaric immoderation to drink wine undiluted and on an empty stomach.

To give the drink a more complex taste and the ability to preserve the fermented juice for many years, water and spices were added to the wine.

Before serving, especially in winter, the wines were heated in vessels and passed through bronze sieves to remove spices and impurities. Wine with spices, such as violet or rose petals, aloe leaves, juniper, bay leaves, mint, fennel, honey, were valued in ancient Roman medicine.

Over time, the inhabitants of northern Europe improved the recipe for hot wine, crystallized its base, and the drink acquired exactly the recognizable framework in which mulled wine is now prepared all over the world.

The origin of the name "mulled wine" is a controversial issue, it is believed that in Russian the word "mulled wine" was formed from the German "glühwein" or from the Polish "glintwajn".

At Christmas markets in almost all major European cities from December to February, glasses of hot mulled wine were sold directly from the stalls.

The German recipe Glühwein is considered a classic. As confirmation, in Germany they operate with the recently found oldest handwritten recipe for mulled wine - glühender Wein of 1843.

The composition of mulled wine - ingredients for cooking

Wine for mulled wine

Raw materials (components) for mulled wine themselves should not be very interesting, but at the same time of high quality. To use elite wines for brewing means to spoil them, “killing” the entire bouquet of aromas with fruits and spices.

What is the best wine for mulled wine?

For Glühwein, sweet and dessert wines are not allowed. Only red dry or semi-dry wine. In some recipes - semi-sweet. Well if a little tart. It's bad if for 3 rubles. in tetra packs.

It also happens to be made from dry white wine.

The ideal base for a good mulled wine is an inexpensive but decent dry table wine in a bottle:

• Australian red dry "Poker Face";
• Russian red dry "Gai-Kodzor";
• red dry "Torre Abalde";
• red dry "Badagoni", "Saperavi";
• Crimean white and red dry "Crimean Sommelier";
• French red dry "Partager".
• and many others. other.

Apples

Apples, cut into medium-sized pieces without core and pits. So that the slices do not fall apart during cooking, they do not need to be peeled.

Cinnamon

Ready-made cinnamon in the form of fragile empty sticks of light red-brown color. When cut, real cinnamon tubes look like a roll of papyrus paper tightly rolled on both sides. The stick is quite brittle, it is easy to crush. A pinch of cinnamon (half a teaspoon without top) is equal to 0.1 g.

Carnation

Small amount of cloves. Dried clove buds should be used, not ground cloves. The spice has a rich burning taste, so you need to use it in mulled wine very carefully - 1 unopened clove bud per 100 ml of wine.

Honey

Honey is added last of all the components of mulled wine. In order to prevent the loss of nutrients, honey should be put into the drink as it cools - at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees, honey loses its healing properties, but not its taste.

The list of spices is not limited, mulled wine may include:

• citrus fruits: orange, lemon, tangerine or their peel;
• dried fruits, berries: dried apricots, dates, raisins, figs or prunes;
• pepper;
• star anise;
• anise;
• ginger;
• cardamom;
• Bay leaf;
• saffron;
• nutmeg;
• coriander;
• mint;
• nuts;
• fruit juices: apple, pear, orange, strawberry, etc.

The main charm of making a spicy cocktail with wine is that, subject to a couple of rules, you can experiment with additives, cooking methods and varieties of wine ad infinitum. Hot wine encourages the most creative ideas, most importantly, in the process of making mulled wine, feel the properties of the ingredients used and present them in the finished drink.

Improvisation is what so many lack in an orderly life. Mulled wine only encourages her. Do you want summer memories on an autumn evening? Add citrus to a cocktail and you will feel the concentrated taste of the sun. At the end of a working week, do you dream of immersing yourself in the rich aromas of oriental spices? Prepare mulled wine with nutmeg, black peppercorns and cardamom.

1. You do not need to buy ready-made mixtures for mulled wine, but separately choose cardamom, dried cloves, cinnamon sticks, etc.
2. Spices are used whole buds, sticks or leaves - ground spices make mulled wine cloudy, it is difficult to filter it.
3. Almost all mulled wine recipes include cloves and cinnamon. It is thanks to them that mulled wine turns out so fragrant.
4. All mulled wine recipes are conditionally divided into undiluted and diluted with water (no more than one glass of water per liter of wine). Water makes the cocktail not so rich. In mulled wine with water, spices are first heated, then I add wine and, at the very end, honey.
5. Before drinking, hot wine is infused for no more than 15 minutes.
6. According to the unspoken standards of Germany, a wine drink with spices with a strength of less than 7% is no longer mulled wine.
7. Ready hot drink is filtered through a strainer.
8. Mulled wine is brewed in portions for a certain number of people.

Do you need to boil mulled wine?

No, mulled wine is not boiled. It is heated, stirring, to 70 degrees. Why not boil? During boiling, intensive evaporation of ethyl alcohol and the destruction of useful substances occur.

Is it possible and how to store mulled wine?

The only possible way to store mulled wine is a thermos. To prevent the wine from acquiring a bitter taste, you need to remove the lemon zest from it. In this case, mulled wine is allowed to be stored for more than an hour.

What is mulled wine served with?

The presentation of mulled wine (appearance) is just as important as its taste. After pouring into the dishes, the wine is decorated with pieces of fruit and spices, which remained after filtering.

A drink with a "hot character" automatically suggests reliable and strong mulled wine dishes. Wine is brewed in ordinary steel saucepans, and even in pots.

But they are served depending on the situation.

At gala parties, a spicy wine cocktail is worthy of beautiful and fine tableware in the form of exquisite crystal or glass goblets.

In nature, surrounded by cold autumn foliage, it is especially pleasant to drink mulled wine from simple metal mugs (thermocup, double-walled).

At home from ceramic cups or low faience cups. Why invent something?

Why is mulled wine warming?

Impact on the body. After a cup of hot wine, a person feels warm, in the literal sense - with the skin. And it's not just about red wine, citrus fruits and honey, which in themselves are a storehouse of vitamins, amino acids and trace elements. And that it is very tasty! A couple of sips and physical, psychological reserves restored.

Immediately after preparation, warm, inhaling the healing ethereal pores with pleasure. It is worth waiting a little and the spiced wine will lose its taste and aroma. Useful properties disappear. Mulled wine stops heating.

Where can you drink real mulled wine in Europe?

You can drink real mulled wine in Germany at the Stritzelmarkt Christmas market in Dresden or at the fair in Cologne from the end of November to December 24th.

Get acquainted with the Austrian version of mulled wine at the fair in Vienna, which traditionally takes place on the Rathausplatz square, the market in Innsbruck or the Rathaus park from mid-November to the end of December.

At the same time of the year, rivers of mulled wine flow in the main squares of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.

In Sweden, you can try real fragrant mulled wine in the Liseberg amusement park, in Denmark - in the best restaurants of Copenhagen or at the fair in Old Riga, which traditionally takes place in December on the Dome Square.

In Norway, for mulled wine, travelers are advised to immediately go beyond the Arctic Circle to the busy city of Tromsø.

The most expensive mulled wine is on the menu of a London bar. Its creator, Pedro Solorzano (a famous mixologist), used the great Château Grand Puy Ducasse wine and eighteen-year-old Dalmore whiskey as a base. The author added freshly squeezed apple juice, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, saffron, goji berries and tonka beans to the drink. The cost of a glass of mulled wine is 50 pounds sterling (about 5,000 rubles).

Fragrant mulled wine with notes of cinnamon and citrus fruits is a favorite drink not only for Europeans, but also for Americans. It is almost always prepared in winter, because the drink perfectly warms and tones. Today we will talk about how to prepare this burning alcoholic drink from red and white wine, as well as non-alcoholic from juice and fruits.

Classic mulled wine is a mixture of red wine and aromatic spices that are added to a heated liquid. It is simply indispensable during cold winters, so mulled wine is often offered to tourists visiting ski resorts.

You can prepare such a drink from any improvised ingredients, but most often such spices and fruits are added to it:

• Cinnamon sticks. In the CIS countries I use crushed cinnamon powder.
• Carnation flowers.
• Citrus fruits, mainly oranges and lemons. They take away the wine sweetness.
• A few pinches of nutmeg.
• Sugar or honey if dry red wine is used in the preparation.
• Water, if you want to get not too strong mulled wine.
• Cardamom, vanilla.
• Ginger, apples.

After preparation, the drink is drunk hot. If there are a lot of seasonings in mulled wine, then the liquid should be filtered. In some cases, dry cinnamon is added directly to the glass, along with pieces of citrus.

What to serve the drink with?

Serving mulled wine implies the addition of a cheese plate and citrus fruits.
If your mulled wine is based on white wine, then it can be supplemented with baked fish, spicy chicken, or several types of cheeses. If the drink is based on red wine, then it is served with cold cuts, baked meat or chocolate.

Important! You can also complement the drink with cheese crackers, grilled vegetables, Bavarian sausages.

What are the benefits of this drink?

Alcoholic drinks are definitely not very healthy. But mulled wine is a special case. The fact is that the traditional recipe for this drink uses natural red wine, which is not boiled during the preparation process. Light heat treatment helps to preserve all the beneficial properties in the wine, so mulled wine is effective in combating the following diseases:

• Colds, sore throats.
• Hypothermia.
• Low hemoglobin (anemia).
• It has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, improving digestion.
• Invigorates, tones the body.
• Helps to overcome insomnia, psychological exhaustion.

Mulled wine is considered one of the best drinks for a romantic winter evening. Already want to learn how to cook it? Then let's get to the recipes!

Classic winter drink recipe

To prepare this fragrant tonic drink, prepare the following set of ingredients:

1. A liter of red wine, it is better to choose dry.
2. 50-100 ml of water.
3. 15 g sugar.
4. 5-6 pcs. carnation flowers.
5. A pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon.

First, prepare an infusion of spices. Add cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon to boiling water. Boil this infusion for 2 minutes, then let it stand for 10 minutes. During the infusion, take care of the wine: add sugar to it, heat well, but do not bring to a boil. Pour infusion with water and spices into hot wine, mix. Mulled wine is ready.

Recipe with honey and aromatic spices

This mulled wine is quite hot, but it perfectly tones and warms. This recipe is often used in expensive restaurants. To make this drink prepare:

• 1 liter of dry red wine. If you take sweet or semi-sweet, it will turn out very cloying.
• 4-5 art. l. honey. If you want a less sweet drink, then add 2-3 tablespoons.
• 7 pcs. clove buds, 4 allspice and the same amount of star anise.

Put the honey in a deep saucepan, pour it with wine, mix. Then add spices, heat, but do not boil.

Important! After preparation, such a drink can be decorated with lemon slices, poured into a special glass, served hot.

How to prepare a drink if there is only white wine?

Classic mulled wine is made from red wine, but if there is none, and the guests are already on the doorstep, get 1 liter of white wine.

Important! Take dry white wine, otherwise the drink will turn out very sweet. If the house has only sweet or semi-sweet wine, then put more lemon in it.

So, we need the ingredients:

• Liter of white wine.
• half an orange or lemon (grind with zest).
• 1-2 tbsp. l. honey. If you use sweet wine, then refuse honey.
• Aromatic seasonings to taste. It is better to use classic cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Transfer all components to a saucepan, heat, then let the mixture brew for 15 minutes, strain. Use only when warm!

Custom recipe with frozen fruit

Do you have half a kilo of raspberries lying around in your freezer? Get it out and hurry up to cook an excellent mulled wine, following these instructions:

• We need 1 liter of dry white wine.
• About 400-500 g of frozen raspberries, if the season - you can take fresh.
• Vanilla or cinnamon stick.
• 2-3 tbsp. l. Sahara.

Pour wine into a saucepan, send raspberries, sugar and vanilla there, mix and heat. After heating, the drink is filtered, and then poured into ceramic or glass cups.

Important! It's worth cutting open the vanilla bean if you want it to release all of its flavor into the drink.

Alcoholic mulled wine with egg yolks

To prepare it, we need:

1. Liter of white or red wine.
2. 3-4 pcs. cloves, a pinch of cinnamon.
3. 1 glass of water.
4. 2-3 egg yolks.

It is worth adding cloves and water to the wine, then heat the mixture over low heat. Whilst the wine is heating, it is worth whisking the yolks with sugar, and then add them to the wine in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Such a drink is most often served with a croissant or biscuit.

Important! Stir the drink constantly when adding the yolk. Otherwise, lumps of boiled egg yolk will appear in it.

Non-standard mulled wine for people who love chocolate

Dry red wine and chocolate go so well together, so why not combine them in one recipe? For such a drink, take the following set of ingredients:

1. 300 ml of water.
2. 2 tbsp. l. cocoa.
3. Liter of red dry wine.
4. 3-4 st. l. Sahara.
5. Seasonings to taste, cinnamon and nutmeg are most suitable.
6. Zest of 1 lemon or orange.
7. About 50-70 g of dark chocolate.

Pour cocoa, sugar, pour water into a saucepan, add spices and zest, bring the mixture to a boil. After boiling for 5 minutes, cool the mixture, then add wine to it and heat the future mulled wine. After that, strain the drink, pour it into tall glasses.

Important! If you want to get a thick flavor, then use 1 cinnamon stick or 1-2 pinches of ground spice.

How to make non-alcoholic mulled wine?

If you can’t drink alcohol or drive tomorrow, and you really want mulled wine, then we present to your attention a recipe for a non-alcoholic drink:

1. 1 liter of good apple juice.
2. 2-3 tablespoons fresh orange or lemon zest
3. Chopped pulp of 1 orange.
4. 2 cloves and the same number of cinnamon sticks.
5. A pinch of nutmeg.
6. 100-150 ml of pure water.

To create such a drink, put all the ingredients in a saucepan, pour water and juice on top. Bring to a temperature of about 70 degrees, avoid boiling. After heating, let the liquid brew for 15-20 minutes, then strain it. If the drink has cooled down, warm it up again. Garnish the glasses with citrus slices.

Another great alcohol-free recipe

Just a great mulled wine is obtained if you cook it from hibiscus. To prepare such a delicious and unusual drink, follow the instructions:

1. Pre-brew 1 liter of hibiscus tea.
2. Finely chop the orange, do not remove the peel.
3. Now add 2-3 tbsp. l. any honey, crushed orange, 2 buds of cloves and cinnamon, pour pre-brewed tea.
4. Heat up, let it brew for 5-10 minutes, then strain.

Such a drink is not only very tasty, but also very healthy. Both children and pregnant women can safely use it.

Important! Mulled wine gets most of its "warming effect" from the spices, not the red wine.

You can make a drink from both fruit juice and wine. The latter option will turn out to be more tasty and healthy for an impending cold. During the preparation of the drink, do not spare fragrant seasonings, because they give the mulled wine a very delicate and original taste.

Video mulled wine recipes

The cold season is the best time to pamper yourself, as well as your family and friends, by preparing hot delicious mulled wine with your own hands. Friendly gatherings over a cup or two of this wonderful drink will warm your souls and add joy to your hearts.

German mulled wine - a classic recipe

This mulled wine recipe is considered a classic for cooking at home. As we will see below, many drinks of this type are prepared using a similar technology. By the way, they can be brewed from both store-bought and homemade wine.

List of ingredients

Honey - 1 tbsp. l.

Cinnamon - 1 pinch

Cardamom - 1 pinch

Nutmeg - 1 pinch

Carnation - 6 pcs.

Lemon - ½ pc.

Cooking method

Pour the wine into a suitable heat-resistant container and put on fire. In the process of heating, add honey and spices, as well as freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir the contents of the container until the foam that appears due to the spices disappears. Then turn off the heat and leave the drink for 15 minutes under a tight lid.

Attention! Never let the liquid boil. Its temperature should not go beyond 70-80 ° C. This rule is fundamental for anyone who wants to properly brew any drink from this series.

List of ingredients

Water - 150 ml

Honey - 1 tbsp. l.

Lemon - 1 pc.

Orange - 1 pc.

Carnation - 2-3 pcs.

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Cooking method

Boil water with cloves and cinnamon, then cool and strain the resulting broth. Pour the wine into a saucepan and put on fire. Add there spicy water, honey and finely chopped slices of citrus fruits. Bring the liquid to the required temperature, remove it from the heat and pour into glasses. Orange slices can be used as decoration.

List of ingredients

Honey - 1-2 tbsp. l.

Raisins - 30 g

Apple - 1-2 pcs.

Grated ginger - 1 pinch

Cardamom - 6 pcs.

Cinnamon - 2 sticks

Allspice black pepper - 5 peas

Carnation - 7 pcs.

Cooking method

Cut the apples into small slices, then send the wine and all other ingredients to the appropriate bowl and follow the classic recipe.

Mulled wine with orange and cinnamon

This simple recipe can be optionally supplemented with other spices suitable for the occasion.

List of ingredients

Red orange juice - 400 ml

Orange - 1 pc.

Cinnamon - 2 sticks

Brown sugar - 125 g

Cooking method

Mix wine and juice. Add sugar, cinnamon and orange peel cut into thin strips. Stir the sugar until completely dissolved, then put the liquid on the fire and bring it to the appropriate temperature. The drink is served with orange slices.

This is just one of the many variations on the Christmas theme. So, there are modifications that involve the addition of nutmeg, ginger, hibiscus, or even brewed black tea.

List of ingredients

Orange juice - 250 ml

Lemon - 1 pc.

Orange - 1 pc.

Honey - 2 tbsp. l.

Carnation - 4 pcs.

Star anise - ½ tsp

Cinnamon - ½ tsp

Cardamom - ½ tsp

Cooking method

Mix wine, juice, honey, spices and washed sliced ​​citrus fruits in a heat-resistant bowl and heat to 80 °C. Leave the result for 15 minutes under a tight lid.

If desired, apples can be replaced with other fruits, for example: plums or peaches.

List of ingredients

Honey - 1 tbsp. l.

Apple - 1 pc.

Cinnamon - 2-3 sticks

Carnation - 6 pcs.

Cooking method

Cut the fruit into thin slices, then place all the ingredients in a heat-resistant container and follow.

Tangerine mulled wine - a recipe for Santa Claus

Apparently, the output should be something very New Year's.

List of ingredients

Tangerines - 6 pcs.

Honey - tsp

Carnation - 5 pcs.

Cinnamon - 2 sticks

Allspice - 2 peas

Cooking method

Peel and divide the tangerines into slices, then load all the ingredients into an enameled pan and turn to.

Mulled wine from Cahors

This drink uses cognac brandy, which, at your discretion, can be replaced with any liquor. Although, according to some enthusiasts, one does not interfere with the other.

List of ingredients

1. Mulled wine - recipe with ginger

   Ginger root is a seasoning for mulled wine for an amateur. But if you are such, then you can safely add this ingredient to hot drinks prepared not only on the basis of white, but also on the basis of red wine.

   List of ingredients

   Dry or semi-dry red wine - 1 l

   Honey - 2 tbsp. l.

   Cinnamon - 1 tsp

   Carnation - 5 pcs.

   Orange - 1 pc.

   Green apple - 1 pc.

   Cooking method

   Cut the orange into slices, and the apple into thin slices. Then put everything in a heat-resistant bowl and turn to classic German technology from.

   

   List of ingredients

   Water - 250 ml

   Sugar sand - 1 tbsp. l.

   Vanilla sugar - 1 tsp

   Carnation - 8 pcs.

   Cinnamon - 3 sticks

   Walnuts - 5 pcs.

   Grated ginger root - 1 tsp

   Lemon - 1 pc.

   Cooking method

   Put cloves, cinnamon, plain and vanilla sugar in a container with water and boil. Set aside the resulting mixture for 15 minutes. Put the wine in a heat-resistant bowl on fire. Add ginger, chopped walnut kernels and grated lemon zest. Then pour slightly cooled water with spices into the same place and bring the drink to the canonical temperature of 70 ° C. After that, remove it from the heat and pour into mugs.

   Mulled wine with Riga balsam

Cinnamon stick - 1 pc.

Carnation - 3 pcs.

Honey - 4 tbsp. l.

Nutmeg - 1 pinch

Orange - 1 pc.

Cardamom - to taste

Cooking method

In a saucepan, mix the Black Balsam of Riga, wine and all spices.

On low heat, bring the mixture to 50-60 degrees, add orange slices and sweat a little more, without boiling.

Then remove from heat, cover with a lid and let it brew for 10-15 minutes.

Before serving, strain the drink through a strainer and add honey.

Mulled wine is best served in warm glasses.

Questions and answers on mulled wine

What is the best wine for mulled wine?


This, as they say, is a matter of taste. However, according to many experts in the field, the combination of citrus fruits with warmed white wine is something unique.

Why can't mulled wine be boiled?


Yes, because the boiled substance will completely lose all alcohol and, accordingly, will lose a significant part of its flavor bouquet.

Can mulled wine be reheated?


The answer to this question is ambiguous. In principle, a cooled drink can be reheated on the stove or even in the microwave, but it should be borne in mind that, again, it will lose some of the alcohol, acquiring a richer spicy taste in return.

Mulled wine in a slow cooker


Adherents of cutting-edge technologies strongly recommend using a kitchen multicooker to prepare the drink we are interested in. According to them, the tightness of this device provides a higher saturation of the drink with volatile aromas released by many spices and fruits. For the same reason, mulled wine will retain its maximum temperature during the final infusion. As for the temperature itself, it, like the duration of cooking (usually 15 minutes), can be programmed ahead of time.

Fans of multicookers consider the only inconvenience to be the need to select the appropriate cooking mode in the case of various models of the devices mentioned. At the same time, they recommend experimenting with programs such as “stewing”, “frying”, “multi-cooking” and “steamer”.

On our own behalf, we add that this kitchen appliance can only be used if all the necessary ingredients are initially loaded. If the drink recipe requires their gradual addition, then the slow cooker will be completely useless.

Mulled wine on the fire


In principle, you can cook mulled wine in nature using a fire. To do this, at a minimum, you need to have wine, a kettle, a stable tripod and something suitable for stirring the contents of a camping vessel. If you are an experienced tourist, then you may find sugar and, possibly, even allspice in stock. In addition, it does not hurt to wander around the neighborhood in search of some backyard plot and beg from its owners for a couple of apples, pears or plums.

Well, or you can do without romance. Namely, to plan everything ahead of time and take with you to nature not only wine, lemon, honey and spices, but also a special camping thermometer. At the service of especially down-to-earth personalities, there are always ready-made wine blends waiting for them on store shelves and requiring only a banal warm-up.

At the same time, whichever option you choose, the main thing is not to forget to stir the contents of the pot and have time to remove it from the tripod in time.

A drink popular in cold countries, warming the body and soul on chilly evenings - mulled wine, the recipe of which is familiar to many and does not leave anyone indifferent. The drink has German roots and means flaming wine in translation. It fully justifies its name, because hot mulled wine spreads with pleasant warmth throughout the body.

This drink has not only a pleasant taste, but also tonic and medicinal properties for colds, hypothermia or loss of strength. It consists of wine, fruits and spices. It has a rich spicy taste.

There are many tips on how to make mulled wine. But the basic principle of cooking remains unchanged. The basis is dry or semi-dry wine. Citruses, spices and spices are added to it. Cinnamon and cloves are a must. The whole mixture is heated over medium heat, but not brought to a boil. After that, the drink is removed from the heat and allowed to brew.

How many degrees in mulled wine depends on the main ingredient and how the drink is prepared. Red wine is used in classic recipes. It has a strength of about 12%. If the mixture is not brought to a boil, then the percentage of alcohol in the drink will not change much. Otherwise, the strength of the drink will be 6-7%.

If you use a stronger alcohol, such as cognac or whiskey, the alcohol content of the drink will increase. Sometimes old recipes reach 25% alcohol. The intoxicating effect can be reduced by adding juice or syrups. Hot mulled wine with a strength of more than 7% is considered optimal. This percentage was used in classic German recipes.

General principles and features of making mulled wine at home

The general rules for preparing this ancient drink are the same for all recipes:

· Mulled wine is a hot drink, so it needs to be boiled.

The mixture is not brought to a boil, because of this the strength of the drink is lost.

The main spices are cinnamon and cloves. They set the tone for the entire cocktail.

The finished mixture must be infused so that the taste of all ingredients is fully revealed.

If the drink boils, you need to remove the pan from the heat and insist under the lid. In this case, alcohol will not be able to evaporate in large quantities.

The classic recipe for mulled wine at home does not contain complex ingredients. Usually cinnamon, cloves, ginger and citrus zest are added to the base. For sweetness, sugar or honey is included.

The question often arises: How to cook mulled wine at home quickly and inexpensively? For this, special mixtures are sold in stores. They contain the main components for one serving in dried form. The cost of the bag is small and you do not have to look for the right spices for a long time.

Composition and ingredients

The composition of mulled wine begins with dry wine. This is an invariable component for any classic recipe. To get the original drink, you need to use several spices and fruits:

Cinnamon and cloves add richness and spicy notes to the drink. No recipe is complete without them. Nutmeg helps open up the dish and enhances its flavor. Ground ginger has a rather pungent taste, with nothing comparable. It conveys its taste to the dish well, and peppercorns are added to enhance the spiciness and spice.

The fruit component of the drink is lemon and apple. They have a pleasant taste and are rich in vitamins. The addition of orange peel will enhance their beneficial properties and give mulled wine a noble bitterness. Depending on the recipe, cognac or water is added.

Opponents of alcohol do not refuse it, but simply brew it on the basis of juice or fruit drink. All ingredients equally saturate the cocktail and give different shades. Sweets are added with sugar or honey. From this, the taste of the dish will become softer and sparkle with new colors.

Wine for mulled wine

Dry red wine is used as part of this dish. Young inexpensive wines fit most organically. They do not have a sharp taste, and will not interrupt the flavor of the rest of the ingredients. Do not choose elite wines. They themselves have a full bouquet and do not require any additives. The fresher and simpler the wine, the better it is for mulled wine.

Table wines from New World winemakers are suitable for this characteristic: Chile, Argentina, South Africa. Do not pass by the wines of Georgia and Russia. The well-known Kindzmarauli and Khvanchkara will perfectly fit into the composition of the drink.

Not only red wine is appropriate in the preparation of mulled wine. White wines are also found in the recipes of this dish. They have similar flavor tones to traditional red wines, but are not as dense. Their light texture gives the drink an excellent, but no less pleasant taste.

Spices for mulled wine

From the abundance of seasonings for this drink, eyes run wide. Those who prepare mulled wine for the first time are divided into 2 types. The first put the spices laid down according to the recipe and nothing more. The second - try to add everything and little by little. Following the recipe in the absence of experience is the surest move. Each spice has its own properties. Their wrong combination will only harm the cocktail and discourage the desire to cook it again. The basis for the choice of seasonings is the expected result. Each spice has its own flavor and health benefits.

• Black and red peppers in small quantities will warm and give a pleasant aroma.
• Cinnamon is the basis of the taste of mulled wine. Ground should be preferred to cinnamon sticks.
• Ginger - has a warming and invigorating effect, and the drink will give sharpness and astringency.
• Bay leaf does not affect the taste, but adds a camphor-ether smell. It is added for a couple of minutes at the very end, otherwise you can overdo it.
• Clove has a pungent taste and a strong aroma that cannot be confused with anything. It is difficult to imagine the taste of mulled wine without it.
• Star anise will add a licorice taste and decorate the cocktail, thanks to its unusual star shape.
• Cardamom has a citrus flavor and will easily replace lemon in its absence.
• Nutmeg is a natural flavor enhancer. With it, the drink will become brighter and richer.
• Barberry, added in a small amount, will give the cocktail its light sourness.
• Saffron has a spicy taste and colors the mixture in a golden color. The seasoning is very rich, so it is added in small quantities.
• Sage has a calming and relaxing effect.
• Coriander is spicy, sweetish, with hints of a woody smell.

It is better to add ground spices as little as possible. They create a cloudy drag and an unpleasant aftertaste. Whole seasonings will reveal their flavor more and decorate the drink, floating to the surface.

Mulled wine brewing technology

Making mulled wine is an easy and interesting process that does not take much time. In European countries, it is customary to dilute alcohol with water. In our country, only alcohol is diluted with water, and even then not always. But mulled wine will benefit. So the fortress will be lost, but the volume of the drink will increase. This method is suitable for those who are not a big fan of alcohol, but do not want to give up the traditional recipe. Regardless of the composition, there are basic recommendations on how to properly brew mulled wine.

The cocktail is made in a container with thick walls. Alcohol is poured into the pan, spices and fruits are poured, honey or cane sugar is added. In case of dilution of wine, chilled boiled water is added. Boiling water combines with alcohol only slowly and pouring along the edge of the container. The whole mixture is heated over medium heat. Readiness is achieved at a temperature of 80 degrees. Not everyone has a food thermometer in their kitchen. Therefore, we heat the cocktail to the maximum possible temperature, preventing it from boiling.

How much to brew mulled wine depends on the volume of the mixture and the alcohol used. In the classic version for a bottle of wine, cooking does not take more than 10 minutes. Having brought to readiness, mulled wine must be removed from the heat and let it brew under the lid for at least 30-40 minutes. During this time, the cocktail will be saturated with essential oils and the aroma of spices will be revealed.

The made drink is poured into containers with thick walls. So the mulled wine will cool down more slowly.

Mulled wine recipes

The simplest mulled wine recipe is hot alcohol with spices. It is quick to prepare and delicious to drink on cold winter evenings. But this drink may not be so simple. Mulled wine and its preparation may vary depending on the choice of spirits, the amount and variety of spices, fruits and additives. It can be a drink on cognac or whiskey, very spicy or, on the contrary, sweet. Prepare both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. Having a recipe for making any mulled wine at home, you can easily cook it step by step.

Classic mulled wine recipe

This recipe is ubiquitous and easy to prepare due to the availability of all ingredients. To get classic mulled wine you will need:

• Dry red wine - 1 bottle.
• Water - 50 ml.
• Sugar - 1 tablespoon.
• Nutmeg - a pinch.
• Cinnamon - 1 stick.
• Cloves - 5-6 pieces.
• Citrus zest - a couple of strips.

A decoction of water and spices is brought to a boil on a small gas. Let it boil, remove the container from the stove and insist. While the mixture is aging, heat the wine, add sugar to it and pour in the finished broth. Heat the drink as much as possible and remove from the stove, leaving to infuse for 40 minutes. Ready mulled wine is served with a cinnamon stick or orange slices.

Mulled wine with honey

This recipe differs from the classic one by adding 1-2 tablespoons of honey instead of sugar for sweetness and a couple of apple slices. The combination of these ingredients will give a sweetish aftertaste and floral notes to the drink.

Unusual mulled wine with tea, ginger and mandarin

If the strength of the drink is not important, but you want new sensations, adding tea is a great option. It will add lightness to mulled wine, and ginger and tangerine will create a New Year's mood.

Pour half a glass of water into the container, add a teaspoon of black tea. Boil and strain the liquid. Add the main spices and tangerine zest to the strained tea. Heat the mixture as much as possible and keep it closed.

Wash the mandarin, peel it, divide it into slices and cut them in half. Pour a bottle of wine into the pan, add tea with spices and tangerine. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of honey to the cocktail to taste, mix and insist under the lid for 40 minutes. Serve with oatmeal or shortbread cookies and mandarin slices.

Mulled wine with rum and amaretto from Denmark

The drink according to the Danish recipe is very gentle and sweet, but with a high proportion of alcohol. Such mulled wine will perfectly warm you after the cold and cheer you up.

Pour a liter of dry wine into a saucepan. Add 5 star anise, a teaspoon of cloves and 2-3 cinnamon sticks. Warm up a little to 50-60 degrees. Without removing the pan from the stove, add 2 chopped oranges, 1 apple. After that, pour in 50 ml of rum and a little amaretto. Heat up as much as possible and turn off the fire. Add 3 tablespoons of honey and insist. Serve with dark chocolate and orange.

Mulled wine with pepper, almonds and port wine

A teaspoon of cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, zest of 1 orange and 100 grams of almonds are placed in a saucepan. Everything is poured with a glass of water and boiled for 10 minutes. After that, add half a glass of port wine and 100 grams of sugar. After heating the whole mixture, you can add a bottle of wine and mix. Bring the drink to readiness and leave for half an hour.

Mulled wine prepared according to this recipe has a piquant spiciness and a bright almond flavor. And port wine will add strength and astringency to the drink.

Simple mulled wine with ginger cognac and cinnamon

This mulled wine is prepared with the addition of lemon juice. It adds a noble sourness and goes well with other ingredients.

Cut the zest from the lemon and squeeze out the juice. Pour half a glass of wine into the cooking container, throw in 3-4 slices of ginger, cinnamon and a teaspoon of cloves. Let the liquid boil. Add lemon juice, half a glass of cognac and the remaining wine in the bottle. Get everything ready. And add 3 tablespoons of honey after removing from the stove. Infuse the cocktail for 20-30 minutes in the closed state.

Ginger mulled wine

Ginger mulled wine is prepared on the basis of white wine and has healing properties. It helps with colds, sore throats and just helps to warm up.

Cut a couple of slices of ginger root and 3 slices of citrus. Pour them with 1 liter of alcohol and hold for 10 minutes. At this time, brew 200 ml of tea with tangerine zest. Add cinnamon, a teaspoon of cloves, a pinch of vanilla sugar to the cocktail and pour in the tea. Bring the entire mixture to 80 degrees and remove from the stove. Keep, mixed with 3 tablespoons of honey, 20 minutes. Such mulled wine will turn out to be very light, sweet, with a pleasant ginger sharpness.

Fruit mulled wine

This recipe includes: apple, lemon, tangerine, pear. Seasonings: 1 teaspoon of spices and a cinnamon stick. Fruit ingredients should be washed and cut into small pieces half of each fruit.

Heat 1 glass of water and add all the spices. Continue heating the mixture, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, heat 1 liter of wine in another saucepan. Pour the mixture of water and spices into the wine in a thin stream. Add fruits. Bring the drink to readiness, add 3 tablespoons of honey and insist under the lid. Such mulled wine is served with the remaining fruit, cut into slices.

Apple mulled wine

Apples, like ginger, go best with dry white wine. To enhance the apple flavor, it is diluted with natural or purchased juice.

Place a lemon, 1 chopped apple, a slice of ginger, a clove, cinnamon sticks, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 100 grams of raisins into a bowl. All this pour a glass of water and heat. Next, mix everything with wine and warm until cooked. After removing from the stove, season with 3 tablespoons of honey and insist. This drink has a very sweet apple-candy aftertaste.

Male mulled wine with red pepper

This drink is light, but very strong and spicy. In addition to wine, mulled wine is mixed with vodka or whiskey. You need to drink it carefully, enjoying every sip, which will spill over the body with burning heat.

Throw a small part of hot pepper into the pan, squeeze the juice of half a lemon, put cinnamon, a tablespoon of sugar, nutmeg, cloves, saffron and anise. Pour the spices with a glass of red wine and heat. After a couple of minutes, pour in the remaining wine and heat as much as possible. After removing from the stove, add 100 grams of vodka. Hold for 5-10 minutes before serving.

White wine mulled wine

Mulled wine on white wine differs in its taste from traditional red wine. It is lighter and often has fruity notes.

To prepare, mix 1 liter of white wine with a tablespoon of honey and heat over low heat. After that, add a teaspoon of cardamom and anise, a cinnamon stick, juice and zest of one lemon and a couple of slices of ginger. Heat the mixture until small air bubbles appear on the surface. After that, insist 10-20 minutes and serve in a bowl with thick walls.

Non-alcoholic mulled wine

Soft drink is brewed on the basis of fruit drink. To prepare it, you need to defrost 1 cup of currants, mash or rub together with 2 tablespoons of sugar.

For the base, bring a liter of water to a boil. Put prepared currants, 4 slices of ginger, a teaspoon of cloves, star anise and cinnamon stick in a ceramic bowl. Pour boiling water over all ingredients and leave for an hour. Ready mulled wine should be filtered and mixed with a tablespoon of honey.

Fruits enhance the aroma of the drink, but a large amount will kill the taste of the wine and you will get a compote.

Whole spices are better than ground spices. They do not leave a cloudy residue and do not require filtering.

For cooking, it is better to use small pots with thick walls. So the drink will end quickly, not having time to lose precious heat.

· Fruits for mulled wine should be thoroughly washed, and it is better to use only the pulp.

Fortified wines are not suitable for making a drink. You can increase the fortress by adding cognac, whiskey or liquor.

Useful properties of mulled wine

Spices and spices contained in the composition improve blood circulation, heart function and the general condition of the body. In addition, they have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system and stomach. The combination of warm wine, lemon and spices improves immunity, fights colds and warms up the entire body. It is because of these beneficial properties that mulled wine is often consumed during a cold. Its aroma and content of essential oils restores the sense of smell and soothes sore throats.

Mulled wine brings not only benefits, but also harm. Never forget that it is an alcoholic drink. Abuse of it will not bring a therapeutic effect and can harm health. A useful dose is 1-2 glasses.

Mulled wine for colds

This recipe contains a dose of fruit vitamins and healing spices. It resembles a classic recipe.

All spices (cinnamon - 1 stick, a teaspoon of cloves, ginger and pepper) mixed with 1 liter of wine. Heat until fully cooked and turn off the gas. In the finished mixture, add finely chopped apple, lemon and half an orange, and honey to taste. Ready drink to infuse for 30 minutes.

For a therapeutic effect, such mulled wine should be taken while preparing for bed. The optimal volume is one mug. After such a decoction, it will be much easier to wake up, your health will improve and recovery will go faster.

Walking on a cool autumn or winter evening somewhere in Vienna, you are sure to come across many cafes offering a cup of mulled wine. This delicious old red wine-based hot drink perfectly warms in cold weather, restores vigor, saturates with concentrated summer warmth and a thick spicy aroma. A cup of mulled wine in the company of old friends - what could be better for a pleasant conversation...

Mulled wine - German. gluhende wein - flaming wine, just a modern designation for a drink with a rich history. The roots of this drink go back to ancient times, namely, at a time when the ancient Romans began to mix wine with spices to better preserve it and give the wine a "noble" taste. In a 2,000-year-old cookbook written by a Roman citizen, Alicits, one can find descriptions of making a drink from wine with the addition of cinnamon, cloves, thyme, coriander and bay leaf. At that time, spices were very expensive, and only a few inhabitants of Rome could afford such wine. In cookbooks of the 16th century, recipes for making mulled wine based on Bordeaux and claret begin to appear. Honey, cinnamon, cardamom and galingal herb are mentioned as the main ingredients. The last component is rather curious for its invigorating properties. A book by Robert May published in 1660 suggests mixing a gallon of dry red wine, 3 ounces of cinnamon, 2 ounces of ginger, 14 ounces of cloves, 1 ounce of nutmeg husk, 20 black peppercorns, 3 pounds of sugar, and 2 quarts of cream.

Over time, the basis of the mulled wine recipe crystallized and acquired exactly the framework in which the modern hot drink is being prepared now. The basis of any mulled wine is dry red wine (preferably ordinary and inexpensive), water, sugar, nutmeg, cloves. Of course, mulled wine masters do not limit the list of spices, and often it includes: lemon, orange or their zest, dried fruits, cinnamon, star anise, pepper, anise, honey, apple slices and various fruit juices.

The main charm of making mulled wine is that, if you follow just a few rules, you can experiment endlessly with additives, wine varieties and methods of making it. Mulled wine encourages the most unexpected ideas, the main thing is that you feel the properties of the components and present them in a future drink. Of course, not every spice or combination of them will create an unsurpassed drink, but that makes cooking more interesting - it's impossible to make a mistake! Mulled wine is always the joy of improvisation, something that is sometimes so lacking in an orderly daily life and that so organically colors an early autumn or winter evening. Citrus fruits sometimes ask for a drink, as a memory of hot days, as a desire to see the sun and meet spring. And sometimes you want to immerse yourself in the thick aroma of oriental spices, dream or just create a mood for a good evening.

Mulled wine is prepared very easily, but does not tolerate haste or inattention. Just 10-15 minutes and the drink is ready. You can treat friends or a friend who accidentally came by. Climb up on the sofa with your feet, cover yourself with a blanket, and slowly sip mulled wine, immerse yourself in pleasant memories. In cool and sunny weather in the Swiss Alps, where sporty Europeans and tourists who just want to get some fresh air go skiing all winter, you are sure to come across a stall offering fragrant freshly made mulled wine. It is simply impossible to refuse such a combination: mountains, sun, clean air and the aroma of spiced wine.

But it is not bad to move from poetics to practice. To make mulled wine, you will first need wine. Its quantity determines the number of persons or personal needs. Don't try to make too much mulled wine. Remember that 1-2 glasses will benefit, warm and cheer you up, and 3-4 can already bring fatigue and a morning headache. The simplest table wine is best. If you are bored with its usual taste, try adding a little brandy, cognac or rum, but only a little. Or for a change, you can cook mulled wine with good expensive wine.

Water is also important. It is best if it is spring, but any bottled one will do, as long as it is not “from the tap”. There should be little water - about a glass for every liter of wine.

Spices in each case are selected individually. There is a certain generally accepted set, without which not a single mulled wine can do. These are sugar, cloves and cinnamon. In addition to them, cardamom, anise, honey, red and black peppercorns, nutmeg, slices of dry orange, lemon or apple can be added to mulled wine (in general, you can add a variety of dried fruits). Some of these components are interchangeable, for example, the citrus part can be replaced with cardamom, because the aroma of cardamom has a lemon-eucalyptus taste. Ginger has a warming effect, besides, it gives a certain sharpness to the drink. Ginger can be replaced with peppers (in small quantities). It is allowed to add pieces of fresh fruits and citrus fruits to mulled wine. If you choose to use lime instead of lemon, keep in mind that lime is more nutritious and should be added with care. If the wine is dry, add sugar or honey. The latter is best mixed into the drink at the very end of preparation.

Spices in mulled wine play the role of substances that complement the aroma of wine, so it is important not to clog the wine aroma, but to supplement it, to create a certain composition from which nothing is knocked out and everything together “sounds” like a good jazz band.

The most important element in the preparation of mulled wine is the heating temperature, or rather the temperature regime of preparation. The basic principle is that in no case should the drink boil and even simply heat up above the required temperature. The optimum temperature for mulled wine is 70°C, perhaps a little more. Do not overexpose mulled wine, you should not bring it to a “pre-boil”, it is better to underexpose a little.

The basic procedure is the following. Cloves and nutmeg are poured into the Turk, a little water is poured (a glass or less) and boiled for about a minute. Then the broth should be infused for about 10 minutes. At this time, pour wine into a refractory glass or ceramic dish (avoid metal) and put on fire. Pour the contents of the Turks into the already warmed wine, making sure that the sediment does not get into it. Stir. Add sugar and mix again. Add the rest of the ingredients. It is better to take cinnamon not ground, but in sticks, this will relieve the turbidity of the drink. Then bring over low heat to the desired temperature (70 ° C) and pour hot into cups or glasses.

There are several variations on how to achieve a richer taste. Firstly, you can heat it over low heat for a very long time, secondly, heat it up quickly enough and let it brew without letting it cool down at the same time, thirdly, make a more saturated spice syrup by cooking and insisting it in a Turk a little longer. If you prefer quick heating and infusion, then keep in mind that the white part in citrus slices gives bitterness during prolonged infusion, so it is more reasonable in this case to use only the zest, dressing it from the white parts and separately orange or lemon pulp.

Having prepared mulled wine, pour it and drink immediately. Don't let it cool down. Cooled mulled wine will surely disappoint you with a lack of taste and aroma. Do not reheat mulled wine - unfortunately, all the magic of a fresh drink completely disappears when reheated.

It is best to serve mulled wine in tall and narrow glass glasses or glasses with pieces of fruit floating at the bottom. It can also be poured into ceramic cups, as was done in the old days, and even into mugs. Mulled wine is best perceived in a transparent container. It is possible and sometimes even very good to take mulled wine in a thermos with you. Use a thermos with a glass flask and do not forget to take out the lemon so that it does not give bitterness during a very long infusion in the thermos. As a snack, you can serve dry cookies, a piece of charlotte or other pie, fruit. In Holland, it is customary to serve donuts or donuts with mulled wine, in Germany - cakes. In general, appetizers provide the same freedom for improvisation as the drink itself.

Mulled wine recipes are like stars in the sky. I will give a few as guidelines - any of these recipes can be transformed and changed according to your tastes and preferences.

Mulled wine recipes

Mulled wine (Recipe No. 1)

Ingredients:
a bottle of red wine (0.75 l),
400 g water
100 g sugar
5 g cinnamon
10 g cloves,
100 g cognac,
slice of lemon.

Cooking:
Pour wine into fireproof glassware, heat it a little, add sugar. Stir. Add cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a temperature of 70°C. Let stand for a few minutes. Pour in cognac and pour into preheated glasses.

Mulled wine (Recipe No. 2)

Ingredients:
a bottle of semi-dry red wine,
3 art. l. Sahara,
orange,
3 lemon slices
apple,
1 st. l. honey,
5-6 cloves,
1/2 cinnamon stick
3-4 peas of allspice,
5-6 spicy red peppers
2/3 tsp nutmeg
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 st. water.

Cooking:
In a fireproof glass dish, heat water, add pepper, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon. Simmer vigorously for 5 minutes, then lower the flame and pour in the wine. Add sugar and stir. Add chopped orange and lemon. Continue heating the mixture up to 70°C and even a little more. Then take it off the heat and let it brew for a few minutes. Add a spoonful of honey, stir and pour into glasses. Make sure that everyone gets a slice of citrus in the glass.

Mulled wine (Recipe No. 3)

Ingredients:
1 bottle of semi-sweet red wine,
6-7 carnation flowers
4-5 peas of allspice,
1/2 teaspoon (or 18 whole nuts) nutmeg,
1 cinnamon stick
12 oranges
12 glasses of water.

Cooking:
Pour water over the cloves, nutmeg and pepper, bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Turn off the flame and let it brew for 10-15 minutes. At this time, pour the wine into the cooking container and gradually heat it up. Then pour in the previously prepared mixture, add sugar, stir and bring to 70°C. Remove from heat and pour into glasses.

Mulled wine (Recipe No. 4)

Ingredients:
1/2 bottle of red wine
2 cups natural coffee
150 g sugar
100 g of cognac.

Cooking:
Pour the wine into a bowl, heat it up, pour in 2 cups of strong coffee, add sugar, stir, bring the mixture to 70 ° C, pour in the cognac. Let it brew for a couple of minutes. Pour into glasses.

Mulled wine (Recipe No. 5)

Ingredients:
1/2 liter dry red wine
80 g raisins,
100 g sugar
10 carnation flowers
4 star anise fruits
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 lemon
1/2 apple.

Cooking:
Heat wine in a glass ovenproof dish, add raisins, cloves, anise and cinnamon. Stir and add sugar. Stir again and add the lemon and apple cut into small slices. Bring the mixture to 70°C and let it steep for a couple of minutes. Pour into clear glasses, tall glasses or mugs. Don't forget the lemon and apple slices in every glass!

Alexey Borodin