TheUltimateFixx
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2021
- Messages
- 3,422
Here's the recipe I've ended up with after years of happy experimentation!
Lots of people take the attitude that since you're going to add spices and sugar and heat the lot, any cheap plonk 'will do' for mulled wine. And vice versa that quality wines are 'too good' to drink this way. BUY A GOOD WINE if you want this to taste good.
You need a medium-bodied, full-flavoured and fruity one. Cabernet, Merlot, Grenache or Zinfandel all work well. Avoid oak-aged because the tannins will give a harsh and bitter note with heating (not to mention invite a horrendous headache).
* * *
~ GLUEHWEIN -
ingredients :
1 bottle red wine (see above)
1 lemon & 1 small orange, sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
2 pieces of star anise
6 cloves
50 g brown sugar (or more to taste)
to make :
Heat the wine with aromatic ingredients and sugar over a low heat for 5 mins, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Take off the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 20 mins.
Heat again just before serving, on a low simmer for 10 mins. Take care NOT to let it boil.
Remove the whole spices and citrus slices and serve in heatproof glass mugs (if you have them and wanna be traditional). Decorate with a small slice of lemon hooked on the rim if liked.
Optional :
for a lighter and fruitier drink, add the juice of an orange.
for a more complex flavour (and an extra kick haha) add a dash of Amaretto.
* * *
Obviously the recipe can be easily doubled and tripled for however many people you're serving. But halve the number of additional spices for any added bottles, otherwise they get too overpowering.
PS if you wanna go 100% German with this, serve some soft gingerbread or honey cakes for nibbling with your 'glowing wine'. Goes really well together. Cheers
Lots of people take the attitude that since you're going to add spices and sugar and heat the lot, any cheap plonk 'will do' for mulled wine. And vice versa that quality wines are 'too good' to drink this way. BUY A GOOD WINE if you want this to taste good.
You need a medium-bodied, full-flavoured and fruity one. Cabernet, Merlot, Grenache or Zinfandel all work well. Avoid oak-aged because the tannins will give a harsh and bitter note with heating (not to mention invite a horrendous headache).
* * *
~ GLUEHWEIN -
ingredients :
1 bottle red wine (see above)
1 lemon & 1 small orange, sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
2 pieces of star anise
6 cloves
50 g brown sugar (or more to taste)
to make :
Heat the wine with aromatic ingredients and sugar over a low heat for 5 mins, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Take off the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 20 mins.
Heat again just before serving, on a low simmer for 10 mins. Take care NOT to let it boil.
Remove the whole spices and citrus slices and serve in heatproof glass mugs (if you have them and wanna be traditional). Decorate with a small slice of lemon hooked on the rim if liked.
Optional :
for a lighter and fruitier drink, add the juice of an orange.
for a more complex flavour (and an extra kick haha) add a dash of Amaretto.
* * *
Obviously the recipe can be easily doubled and tripled for however many people you're serving. But halve the number of additional spices for any added bottles, otherwise they get too overpowering.
PS if you wanna go 100% German with this, serve some soft gingerbread or honey cakes for nibbling with your 'glowing wine'. Goes really well together. Cheers
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