Prepare bottled Gluhwein by gently heating it in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until hot and fragrant, ensuring it never boils to avoid evaporating the alcohol. Enhance the flavor by adding fresh orange slices, a cinnamon stick, or an extra splash of brandy/rum. Serve immediately in mugs, optionally garnished with cinnamon.
Mulled Wine (or Mulled “Wine”) Mulled wine is as simple as it is delicious. Combine a bottle of dry red wine, orange and lemon slices, cloves, and cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan. Let the mixture simmer (not boil) for 20 minutes, and add in sugar to taste.
Stovetop: Gently rewarm mulled wine in a large pot on the stovetop over low heat. This method allows you to control the temperature and ensure that the wine doesn't boil (1). Slow cooker: If you have leftovers, you can pour the mulled wine into a slow cooker and reheat it on the low setting until warm.
Cinnamon is probably the most popular spice but you could also use cloves, cardamom (lightly crush a few pods) ginger and nutmeg. Some recommend star anise but use sparingly if you don't want your mulled wine to taste of aniseed.
This is how you prepare mulled wine: just gently heat a bottle of red wine with cinnamon sticks, cloves... (don't boil it, or the alcohol evaporates). It takes about 20 minutes and costs around 10 euros for a full batch (using an affordable bottle of wine plus basic spices and fruit you probably already have at home).
The "red wine 20-minute rule" is a simple guideline to chill red wine for about 20 minutes in the refrigerator before serving to bring it down from typical room temperature to its ideal cooler range (around 12-18°C), which enhances fruitiness and balances tannins, preventing it from tasting "hot" or overly alcoholic. This complements the similar rule for white wines, which involves taking them out of the fridge 20 minutes prior to allow flavors to emerge from being too cold.
If it's a Glühwein you're going for, you can't beat classic Teutonic pairings like salty blue cheese pastries, pork schnitzel with lemon cream sauce – the fatty salty sweet and spice combination is pure heaven – or apfelkuchen (German apple cake).
During the Christmas period, some stores will sell ready-prepared mulled wine and these are generally improved by adding extra citrus and a flavoured spirit or liqueur.
The shelf life of unopened mulled wine largely depends on several factors, including the type of wine used, the alcohol content, and the storage conditions. Generally, unopened mulled wine can last anywhere from 1 to 5 years.
A: Mulled wine can be served either hot or chilled, depending on your preference. For a traditional approach, serve it warm in heatproof glasses or mugs to bring out the full depth of the spices.
You can add a little extra kick to your mulled wine with a dash of sloe gin, brandy, Port, or orange liqueur – do this just before serving. Additionally, you can mix-up the spices with cardamom, ginger and nutmeg. Perhaps take a leaf out of the Nordic glögg book and add almonds and raisins too.
Cut the orange in half, and juice it into a medium saucepan. Shove the cloves into the orange and put the orange, cinnamon sticks and star anise into the pan. Add the wine and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. DO NOT BOIL the Glühwein.
Common mulled wine mistakes include boiling instead of simmering, which makes it bitter and evaporates alcohol; using cheap or poor-quality wine (or expensive wine); adding sugar instead of relying on orange juice; using stale spices; and over-infusing the spices, leading to unbalanced flavors.
You can also heat store-bought mulled wine and immediately mix in some flavorful garnishes like citrus slices or cinnamon sticks. To add additional sweetness to this wintry beverage, combine warmed wine with a bit of honey, maple syrup, or granulated sugar.
The "30-minute rule" in wine is a simple temperature adjustment tip: put red wine in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving to cool it down to cellar temp, and take white wine out of the fridge 30 minutes before pouring to let it warm slightly to reveal more flavor. This "30 In/30 Out" method helps bring wines closer to their ideal serving temperature for better taste, as over-chilled whites lose flavor, and warm reds can taste "hot" or heavy.
How to heat mulled wine. You can reheat mulled wine by warming it over a low heat on the hob. Alternatively, pour the liquid into a heatproof bowl and microwave for 2 mins 30 seconds-3 mins until warm, but not boiling.
The 20/20 wine rule is a simple guideline for serving wines at their ideal temperature: take white/rosé wines out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving to let them warm slightly and release flavors, and put red wines in the fridge for 20 minutes to give them a light chill, bringing them closer to cellar temperature, rather than serving them too warm. This simple adjustment enhances aroma and taste by preventing whites from being too icy and reds from tasting too alcoholic or bitter.
Glühwein (roughly translated as 'glowing-wine', from the temperature the wine is heated to) is popular in German-speaking countries, the Germany-bordering Alsace region of France, and to a lesser extent Russia. It is a traditional beverage offered during the Christmas holidays.
The "75 rule" for wine in the U.S. means that if a wine label names a specific grape (like Chardonnay or Merlot), at least 75% of the wine must be made from that grape, with the remaining 25% being other complementary varieties, a standard set by the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) to ensure transparency, though some regions like Oregon require 100% for varietals. It's part of a broader labeling guideline, including 85% for American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and 95% for vintage years, often remembered as the 75/85/95 rules.
Leaving red wine in the fridge will most likely ruin the quality of your wine. Cold temperatures heighten the wine's structure including the tannins. Tannins help provide texture and structure to Wines, and without them, wine can taste very unpleasant.
