History
For as long as we’ve had wine and cold weather, enterprising wine lovers have been mulling wine. The seasonal brew is an easy addition to fall menus and our recipes are a perfect fit for shelf talkers, as mulled wine offers consumers a rich, full-bodied drink with an aroma thick as a winter blanket.
Spiced, heated wine dates back to Roman times, and the centuries have seen that simple concept grow and evolve into a rich field of recipes from all over the world, incorporating new spices and varietals as the drink spread. Today, all you need is a dependable slow-cooker, a bottle of red and some spices to make mulled wine magic.
The Big Secret
But before we get to the recipes, Michael Page, Breakthru Illinois’ Beverage Development Specialist, breaks down the basics for mulling wine. In addition to the usual wine, spices and fruit, Page has a secret ingredient: the sous vide. Or any sealed cooking device, for that matter. As Page points out, mulling wine, over time, leads to the brew losing its potency and flavor as alcohol evaporates. To counter that loss, many mullers will prop up their mulled wine with fortified wine to put some of that alcohol back into the mix. However, cooking in a sealed container keeps all the flavor and alcohol intact.
Mulled wine is a very versatile drink, with plenty of room for experimentation. The classic blend is red wine, tart fruit, and spices like cinnamon, cloves and star anise. Once you’ve got those components as a base you’re free to play around with flavors and ingredients to make your own recipe. Or you can use one of these classic recipes as a starting point.
Recipes
Here are some of our favorites from around the internet. Get them on your menu, or add them to your shelf for your customers. They will be sure to warm up your fall sales numbers.
From Delish.com
Ingredients
1 bottle red wine
1 cup apple cider
1 cup cranberry juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup fresh cranberries
2 oranges, peels and juice
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp. whole cloves
1 tbsp. star anise
Directions
Combine wine, cider, cranberry juice, sugar, cranberries, the peel from 1 orange, the juice of 1 orange, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, cloves and star anise in a slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cook on high until warm, about 30 minutes. Garnish each glass with orange peel.
From Valerie Bertinelli
Ingredients
4 cloves
3 whole star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
1 bottle red wine
1/4 cup sugar, optional (depending on sweetness of wine)
2 strips orange zest, removed with a vegetable peeler
1 1/2 cups orange juice, freshly squeezed and strained, or store-bought
1 small sprig rosemary, plus sprigs for garnish
Directions
Wrap the cloves, star anise and cinnamon in a small square of cheesecloth and secure it with kitchen twine. Combine the wine, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, rosemary and the spice pouch in a slow cooker. Cook on low heat until hot, about 1 hour. Adjust the slow cooker to the "warm" setting. Garnish with rosemary.
From the BBC
2 bottles red wine
100ml Cointreau
Peeled zest and juice of 2 large oranges
Pared zest of 1 lemon
120g golden caster sugar (or other granulated sugar)
2 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
4 cloves
Slices of orange
Directions
Put all ingredients (except the slices of orange) in a slow cooker on low for 1 1/2 - 2hrs, until hot. Serve with slices of orange.