Mulled Wine
Red wine warmed with citrus and spice. Cheap wine made better by heat — which is exactly why the Romans invented it.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Put the wine, syrup, orange slices, cinnamon and cloves in a pan.
Warm gently to around 70°C — it must steam but never simmer or boil.
Hold at that temperature for 20 to 30 minutes so the spices infuse, then strain.
Stir in the cognac off the heat and serve in a preheated mug with a star anise.
A thoughtful finish
- Never let it boil. Above about 78°C the alcohol evaporates and the wine turns stewed and sour — gentle steam is the target, and it should never bubble.
- Add the brandy off the heat, at the end. Anything added while it is still on the stove loses its alcohol and its aroma.
- Whole spices, not ground. Ground cinnamon and clove make it gritty and cloudy, and you cannot strain them out.
Common mistakes
- Boiling it, which is the one unrecoverable mistake — you end up with hot sour grape juice.
- Using an expensive wine. Heat and spice flatten nuance; a cheap dry fruity red is the correct choice and always was.
- Over-spicing. Two cloves is plenty for a single serving — clove dominates everything at the smallest excess.
A few good questions.
Does the alcohol cook off?
Some does, which is why temperature matters. Held at 70°C with a lid on, most is retained; brought to a boil, much of it goes. Adding a spirit at the end restores the strength.
Which wine should I use?
An inexpensive dry red with good fruit — Merlot, Garnacha, Zinfandel, a cheap Côtes du Rhône. Avoid heavily oaked or very tannic wines, which turn bitter when warmed.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, and it improves. Make the spiced base, cool it, refrigerate, then reheat gently. Add the brandy when you reheat.
What is the difference from glögg?
Glögg is the Nordic version, typically stronger, often fortified with vodka or aquavit, and served with raisins and blanched almonds in the cup.
Variations
- Glögg — The Nordic version with raisins and almonds.
- Mulled Cider — Apple cider in place of wine.
- Hot Toddy — Spirit, honey, lemon and hot water.
- Hot Buttered Rum — Rum with a spiced butter batter.
Where it comes from
c. 2nd century · Roman Empire
Spiced wine is one of the oldest recorded drinks. The Romans made conditum paradoxum, documented in the Apicius collection, by heating wine with honey, pepper, saffron and dates, and the practice spread with the empire across Europe. Every northern European country has its own version — German Glühwein, Nordic glögg, French vin chaud, Polish grzane wino — and the underlying logic has never changed: spice and sweetness make unremarkable wine into something worth drinking on a cold night.
Sources
- Apicius, De re coquinaria, conditum paradoxum, 2nd century (book)
- Oxford Companion to Wine, current (reference)
Strength. About 1.42 US standard drinks at an estimated 9.2% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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