Mulled Wine

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.

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.

Varietals

with strong red wine Wild boar ragout

with strong red wine

800 Gramm Fleisch vom Wildschwein (Keule o. Schulter)
80 Gramm Bauchspeck
100 Gramm Zwiebeln
60 Gramm Karotten
60 Gramm Staudensellerie
1 TL Tomatenmark
200 ml kräftigen Rotwein
100 ml Portwein
1 Liter braune Wildbrühe
1 TL Preiselbeeren
1 EL geschlagene Sahne o. Sauerrahm
20 Gramm Mehl
1 Stück Lorbeerblatt
je 1 Zweig Rosmarin und Thymian
4 zerdrückte Wacholderbeeren
1/2 TL Senf
nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer

Clean and wash the vegetables and cut into evenly sized cubes.

Remove the fat, skin and tendons from the wild boar meat and cut into 3 cm cubes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with flour. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the meat on all sides. Add the vegetables and diced bacon and fry. Add the tomato purée and stir fry. Deglaze with the red wine and port, reduce and pour in the brown game stock. Add the spices to the meat in a small spice bag and leave the ragout to simmer in the oven at 160°C for approx. 1½ hours.

Then remove the pieces of meat, remove the spices, strain the sauce, add the cranberries and mustard and leave to reduce for about 15 minutes. If necessary, thicken with a little cornflour. Serve with the whipped cream.

Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir (trocken)

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)

with bulgur Cabbage stew

with bulgur

200 Gramm Zwiebeln
1 ganze Knoblauchzehe
800 Gramm Spitzkohl
200 Gramm Möhren
400 Gramm festk. Kartoffeln
1 EL Kümmelsaat
1,5 Liter Gemüsefond
5 EL Olivenöl
2 EL Tomatenmark
2 EL edelsüßes Paprikapulver
3 TL Honig
nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
120 Gramm grobe Bulgur
1 Bund Petersilie
4 Stiele Minze
1 ganze Zitrone
2 ganze Äpfel
3 EL Obstessig

Finely dice the onions and garlic. Clean, wash and quarter the cabbage, remove the stalk and roughly chop the cabbage quarters. Peel the carrots, halve lengthways and cut into approx. 2 cm wide pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut into approx. 2.5 cm pieces. Fry the carrots in a pan without fat and set aside.

Heat the vegetable stock in a small pan. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large pan, sauté the cabbage in it for 10-15 minutes over a high heat until dark brown and remove from the pan.

Add the remaining oil to the pan. Fry the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the potatoes and muesli and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tomato purée and paprika powder and fry while stirring. Add the cabbage, honey and caraway and pour in the hot vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the bulgur 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Quarter the apples, remove the seeds, cut into approx. 1 cm cubes and add 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Pluck the herbs and chop medium-fine. Wash and dry the lemon, finely grate the zest and mix with the herbs. Flavour the stew with vinegar, salt and pepper and serve sprinkled with the herbs.

Tip: The pointed cabbage must be roasted really strongly and dark so that the aromas come out well.

Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir (trocken)
Trollinger (trocken)

with cinnamon and sugar Odenwald apple soufflé

with cinnamon and sugar

1 kg Äpfel
250 Gramm Semmelbrösel
125 Gramm Zucker
2 EL Butter
1/2 TL Zimt
1 Msp. gemahlene Nelken
50 Gramm Rosinen
100 ml trockener Weißwein
1 EL Rum
zum Bestreuen Zimt & Zucker

Sauté the breadcrumbs, butter, spices and 2 tbsp sugar in a pan. Peel the apples and cut into slices. Sauté in white wine with rum and sugar until the liquid has almost evaporated.

<p>Fill the greased springform tin alternately with the breadcrumb mixture and apples (bottom and top layer of breadcrumb mixture).

Bake for one ½ hour at 140 °C. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.