Mulled Wines

The mercury keeps dropping in many parts of the country, and we all know what that means. Well, if you are a wine enthusiast, you might know what that means. It means slightly altering the state of your favorite wine. Have you ever tried a mulled wine? The word “mulled” simply means heated and spiced. Many liquids can be mulled – mead, cider, and of course, wine. It offers plenty of bone-warming options. In the old times, wine often went bad, but by adding spices and honey, it could be made drinkable again. It goes back to waste not, want not, right? Of course, heating the wine would further improve the taste and have the added effect of warming the bellies of poor wretched folk in the cold bleak winter days.

Mulled wines have been warming people for centuries.

In medieval times, these wines were called Ypocras or Hipocris, named after the physician, Hippocrates.

They were thought to be very healthy, and indeed, with wine at the time being far more sanitary than water, these heated drinks probably did keep people healthy through the cold winters. It’s also another one of several good reasons to add wine to your diet. You can almost conjure up wonderful images of medieval folk huddled by a fire in an old tavern or inn, plunging hot pokers into their mugs of rough wine.

Anyway, let’s move forward to the 1500s. Cookbooks listed methods of mulling “Clarrey,” or Bordeaux. Recipes involved honey, cinnamon, cardamom, galingale, and of course, French wine. Mulled wine was a favorite in Victorian England, and Negus – a type of mulled wine – was even served to children at their birthday parties. Today, mulled wine is a staple at many holiday parties.

It can be made in a flash in either a crockpot or a regular pot. It is a delicious alternative to traditional coffees, teas, and toddies.

Traditional Mulled Wine Recipe

• One bottle of red wine (suggestions: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot)
• One peeled and sliced orange (keep peel to add zest to taste into cooking pot)
• 1/4 cup of brandy
• 8-10 cloves
• 2/3 cup honey or sugar
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp fresh or 2 tsp ground ginger (allspice can be substituted)
• Serves 4-6

PREPARATION:

Combine all ingredients in either a large pot or a slow cooker. Gently warm the ingredients on low to medium heat (avoid boiling), for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that the honey or sugar have completely dissolved.

Victorian Mulled Wine

• 1 bottle Sparkling Wine
• 140ml (1/4 pint) Blackcurrant Syrup
• 3 large Oranges
• 9 Cloves
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1/2 tsp Ground Mace
• 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
• Vodka or Gin to taste (optional)
• 285ml (1/2 pint) Fruit Juice (optional)
• Sugar to taste

Preheat oven to 180°C: 350°F: Gas 4.

Stick 3 cloves in each orange and place the whole oranges in a deep ovenproof dish, bake for around 20 minutes.

Slice the oranges into a bowl.

Heat the wine, but do not allow to boil, (adding the fruit juice, if using) with the cinnamon, mace and ginger.

Add the blackcurrant syrup, the oranges, and cloves and continue heating.

Sweeten to taste, then add the vodka or gin.

Serve immediately.

There are different styles in every part of the world – some favor using white wine, others red. Some add in only a few spices, while others pour in oranges, cloves, twelve spices, and more fruit for color! Your mulled drink is limited only by your own imagination!

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