What are the essential ingredients for preparing mulled red wine?

Mulled red wine is a traditional beverage originating in Scandinavian countries. The tradition spread throughout Europe towards the end of the 19th century before becoming firmly established in our culture. It is mainly served during the winter months, especially during the Christmas holidays. Discover the ingredients that make it up.

Red wine: the main ingredient

Of course, to prepare mulled red wine, you'll need red wine. But not just any type of wine. So, which wine should you choose as an ingredient in this famous beverage? Mulled red wine is a drink that generally has a blend of flavors and aromas. It's therefore best to opt for young red wines that still have pronounced fruity aromas rather than tannic red wines that lack suppleness.

Using a grand cru Bordeaux for your red mulled wine recipe is not recommended. Instead, opt for younger, less vintage wines of good quality. Choose AOP and IGP table wines , which will be less expensive and more effective for the recipe. A Pinot Noir would be a good choice. Burgundy or Alsace , a Beaujolais with fruity notes or a Bordeaux wine without barrel aging will do well.

It's especially important to avoid overly tannic and structured wines when making mulled wine. The concentration of these aromas can overpower the fruit and spice flavors of the recipe and spoil the enjoyment of this traditional drink. Very old wines should also be avoided. After five years, they lose their fruity aromas and impart a tannic taste to the beverage.

Varieties of spices

The key to a good mulled wine lies in the added spices. To make the traditional recipe, the essential spices are:

- Cinnamon

In stick form, cinnamon adds a warm, sweet, and slightly spicy flavor to the drink. It gives off a warm and refined aroma reminiscent of wood with a hint of sweetness. Two cinnamon sticks are enough to make a red mulled wine. You can also use ground cinnamon.

- Cloves

Cloves offer a penetrating, warm, and rich aroma and a pungent, slightly bitter taste, especially when used in a hot beverage. They also impart a rich fragrance to awaken the senses before tasting. For this recipe, you only need 2 cloves per glass.

- Star anise

Star anise is renowned for its richer aroma and fragrance compared to green anise. This spice offers sweet and fresh notes with a subtle hint of spice on the finish. One star anise per glass will be appreciated as much for its flavor and aroma as for its decorative appeal.

Sugar

Sugar is an important element for adding sweetness and eliminating the tannic taste of your drink. For a bottle of wine, 100g of granulated sugar will be more than enough to blend the fruity aromas of the wine with the spicy aromas of the other ingredients. You can use brown sugar to bring out more flavor than with white sugar.

In some traditions, sugar is replaced with honey to create a perfect harmony between the flavors of the wine and the spices. The sweetness of your drink is guaranteed if you use honey instead of granulated sugar.

Citrus fruits

Since we're talking about a winter drink, citrus fruits should be added to the beverage to give it a particularly warm taste. Acidic and fresh . You can use citrus zest to facilitate preparation, but it is more advisable to use orange zest and lemon slices to provide a richer visual effect before tasting.

Personalize your drink

It's perfectly possible to add extra ingredients to personalize your mulled wine. Adding more spices like nutmeg or ginger will further enhance the aromas and flavors of the drink. Honey could also be a good alternative to sugar. You can also add fruit liqueurs to accentuate the fruity notes, or even spirits.