How to Make Mulled Wine at home

Do you want to give your family and friends a bit extra feeling for Christmas? With this rustic recipe of Mulled Wine, you will give the warmest welcome to your guests.

The history of this delicious drink began in the late medieval period when the word “Mull” was used for the first time. It means “to heat, sweeten and flavour with spices”.

But similar drinks appeared by the Ancient Greeks. They used wine that was left over at harvest, added spices and heated it up. The Ancient Romans also had their version which can be found in a cookbook from the 5th – 6th century and written by Apicius. They mixed one part wine and one part honey that was boiled and then reduced. Then they added pepper, bay leaf, saffron and dates. 

Then from the Middle Ages, mulled wine became more popular. The reason was that people believed that the drink makes them healthier. Today’s form of mulled wine comes from Victorian England as an essential part of the holiday season. Interestingly, we can discover a version of this unique drink in the novel “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. He called it Smoking Bishop. 

So let’s follow this tradition and warm up your guest with this easy and delicious drink.

Serve 6

• 1 bottle of red wine
• 1 orange, sliced
• 60g demerara sugar
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg

STEP 1: Add the wine to a large saucepan with the orange, sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and grated nutmeg.

STEP 2: Place the saucepan on medium-low heat and cook, constantly stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

STEP 3: Taste it to see if you want the wine sweeter, and if so, add more sugar to taste and allow it to cook until dissolved.

STEP 4: When ready, pour into a serving punch bowl or glasses.

Serve with a delicious starter such as Chicken Liver Pâté.

Reference: Easy Food (2011) “Easy Mulled Wine,” December, pp.11.