How to make mulled wine?
It’s the one drink that we all love to use to wet our whistle at the special time of year, but how many of us actually know what it is? What’s in it, why does it taste so good, and how do you make it? Keep your eyes fixed on the following wise words to hear our answers to all these questions and more and you’ll be all set to bore the socks off anyone who comes round this Christmas!
What is mulled wine?
Good question my friend! Good question indeed…
It might be a staple of the festive time of year we all look forward to, but you’d be amazed at the number of people who don’t actually know what it is. And if you don’t know what it is, you’re just never going to know how to make mulled wine, are you?
The truth is that it’s been around since the time of the Romans who loved a tipple as much as the next ancient dynasty. They gave it the name based on the cloths used to pour the wine through which sieved out all the bits and pieces they got fed up of picking out from between their teeth. Since then mulled wine has been loved the world over every time the nights draw in.
It’s a typically spiced wine made using red wine, raisins, and you guessed it…an array of spices. You can serve it lukewarm, piping hot, or anywhere else in between. The beauty of it is that you can make it in a variety of different ways by adding your own blend of spices to the mix. More on that shortly…
Why do we all love mulled wine so much?
It’s great! But more than that it’s the way it makes us feel at the special time of year. Some of us love it because we can add a drop of brandy to it to replace some of the alcohol that boils off, others love it because they can drink that bit more of it without having to nurse a headache the next morning!
No matter why you want to know how to make mulled wine, it’s safe to say that you’re going to love the process from beginning to end. Generations and generations of festive-loving people have come together and enjoyed a glass of the good stuff, and we know you’ll be no different.
All you have to do now is keep reading so that you can answer the question we know has been on your lips ever since you opened this article…
How do you make mulled wine like a pro?
We’ve finally got to the key point you all wanted to know, and the beauty of it is that there’s no set answer or recipe. Instead what you want to do is follow your tastebuds, get experimental in the kitchen and then keep fine tuning things until you have a flavour to truly savour.
Start by finding a strong red wine that will act as the base for your mix. We love fruity, deep and rich reds as they give you a whole host of different flavours and aromas to play with. The choice is yours at the end of the day, but we recommend staying on the richer side of the aisle for this one.
Once you do that you want to gradually heat your wine on the hob. A little saucepan is all you need to get started as you’ll want to start off small and fine tune your recipe. Adding your choice of spices comes next, with things like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and of course the stylishly named star anise all come to mind here folks. Let everything mix in together on a low heat, tasting as you go so you can find the perfect balance for you and your tastebuds. A few slices of fresh orange, vanilla pods and raisins could also help round things off. Keep stirring, playing with the heat, and tasting until you have a drop that’s just perfect. Trust us, you’ll know it when you see it.
Anything else I need to know about flavouring my mulled wine?
The key to knowing how to make mulled wine is to embrace the experimental side of it. There’s no use following an off-the-shelf recipe and being annoyed that it doesn’t come out exactly right — you could have just bought some after all! What brewing up your own tipple is all about is taking the time to create something which makes you smile from the very first drop. Only then can you say that you truly know how to make mulled wine like a pro!
I know how to make mulled wine, but how do I store it!!!
Once you’re done with the hob you can turn it off and move the pan to a cool part of the worktop. Let the wine breathe and cool down so that it’s back to room temperature in its own time, and then pour it (carefully) into an airtight container. You could use a tub or a big bottle, it doesn’t really matter. You just want to make sure that you don’t spill a single drop of the good stuff otherwise you’ll remember it when you get down to your last glass. With everything safely and securely decanted you just pop it in the fridge and get ready to serve when the festivities begin.
Final thoughts
There’s nothing better than a glass of the good stuff at the special time of year, and now that you know how to make mulled wine you’ll be the one leading the celebrations for years to come. Just what you want to hear when you’re ready to make memories that never fade as you make the most of the festivities like never before.
Oh, one more thing…
…don’t forget to top yours up with a splash of brandy if you want it to have a real kick.
Enjoy!