Winter has officially rolled in snow and ice seem to be covering the country in an immovable white blanket. As the temperatures dip, there’s actually a lot to be excited about – skiiers are plowing through fresh powder, snowmobilers are driving through mounds of soft snow and mulled wine fans are imbibing their warm, tasty creations.
“Mulled Wine”. Sounding like a victimized wine, snatched from home and forced into servitude, mulled wine was originally created by Northern Europeans as a hardy winter drink. Dating back hundreds, if not thousands, of years, mulled wine is a category of wines fortified with brandy and seasoned with unique spices and best served piping hot.
Mulled wines are as interesting for their taste as they are their tradition. The oldest documented production of Gluhwein, the winter drink of Germany, is attributed to Count John IV. of Katzenelnbogen in 1420. Not confined to the borders of Deutschland, mulled wines can be found all across Europe. When traveling, mention these names and be served a hot, tasty drink:
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Sweden, and the rest of Scandinavia, has elevated the drink to a cultural phenomenon. During the holiday season, Glogg parties are a way for friends and family to reconnect. Like your traditional red wine, mulled wine should be drank in moderation. Combined with the addition of spices, sugar and fortifying brandy, over-indulgence is ill-advised. It seems many in Sweden have learned it the hard way>>
Mulled wines are actually really easy to make. With the same basic playbook as a simple stew, bring your red wine to a warm temperate before adding sugar, spices and brandy. The exact recipe depends on the country, but our favorite is the German version – Glühwein. Featuring a few more ingredients than those of neighboring countries, you can find most ingredients already in your kitchen. A few items you may need to go to the store for – mace, cinnamon sticks and allspice. Check our out our recipe below. This recipe fills 4 regular bottles of wine, a good practice is to store the extra wine for future drinking!
German Glühwein Recipe – Our Favorite!
Ingredients
- 3 L of red wine ( 4 regular bottles or 2 uber-large bottles. We recommend Cabernet Sauvignon for its robustness)
- 1 pint brandy
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 cinnamon sticks
- 12 cloves, whole
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp mace (unusual ingredient, but necessary – don’t skip this!)
- 2 oranges, sliced
- 1 lemon, sliced
Directions
- Pour the wine into a large pot and begin heating over low heat. DO NOT BOIL!
- As it begins to warm, add sugar, spices and brandy (everything but citrus). Stir until dissolved and let simmer for a few minutes.
- Add the lemon and orange and allow to steep for an hour until flavor is well infused.
- Serve hot.
Note: This recipe serves 12-15.
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by hosteldog: It’s Christmas and holiday drinks are in style. Here’s some info to get you caught up – http://bit.ly/winterdrinks…