Let’s mull it over a bit
What a curious word. Mull as a noun can be fine particles in a suspension, or, a soft fine sheer fabric of cotton, silk, or rayon. It could also be a layer of Humus or fine soil on a forest floor. Yet, it can be the act of meditating or ruminating on a concept, idea, or dilemma, as in: mulling over possibilities. And, still, it can be a synonym for Pulverize, to grind or mix thoroughly. And, then there’s Martin Mull. But, today, we are looking at another version of mull. That is to “heat, sweeten, and flavor (a beverage, such as wine or cider) with spices”. For, today is national Mulled Wine Day. A day that is greatly overlooked (and for pretty good reason). You have to ask is Mulled wine good? Let’s mull it over a bit.
For most of us, wine is something that stands on it’s own. You sure as shootin’ ain’t gonna heat and spice a vintage Cabernet, Bordeaux, or Burgundy. So, by it’s very nature, mulled wine requires the cheap stuff. So, we finally have a use for that big box o’ wine that your cheapo neighbor brought over for a party, because they heard you “like” wine. And, now is the right time to use it up. It’s still winter. Anything warm is welcome. And, you do “like wine”. So, the answer to what you’ve been mulling over is “why not”.
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Let’s mull it over a bit before drinking it.
Years ago, we went o a family Christmas get together. We had a traditional Yankee Swap. One year, someone got a bottle of mulled wine. Apparently, they never drank it. It showed up again, the following year. And, after that, it became a running joke. Whoever got the bottle had to bring it back the following year with another Yankee swap gift attached. This went on for years until someone finally either decided to drink it or forgot to bring it back. It brought a smile and a laugh every year. And, we still remember it fondly. But, because of that bottle, we can only snicker when we think of mulled wine.
But, that is unfair to the art of mulling wine. There is an art to making something you would only cook with palatable. And, that’s what we’re going to do today. When you think about it, how bad can it be? You like mulled cider. And, you like booze. So, why not mulled booze? Plus, when heated, it affects you quicker. Just don’t think of it as wine. When you add the sweetness, spice, and heat it becomes something else. To use a food analogy, it’s like heating vichyssoise and getting potage parmentier. They are basically the same soup, but one is a chilled summery delight. The other is a winter warmer. So let’s mull some wine and stave off the cold outside in front of a roaring fire.
So much for song and wine
If you remember our article from drink wine day, you may recall Eric Burden and War doing Spill the Wine. And, there are plenty of good and/or popular songs about drinking wine and being happy. You may remember UB40’s Red red wine. And, if you are of a certain age, Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood’s Summer wine may ring a bell. These are all pretty happy and catchy tunes. But, you don’t find a lot of songs about mulled wine. I found one by Paris Paloma that’s pretty freaking depressing at best. So, maybe it’s time someone wrote a happy song about Mulled wine. Maybe with people enjoying it at a ski lodge or at holiday gatherings. Just a suggestion. Let’s mull it over a bit.
Maybe there aren’t a lot of songs about mulled wine because it totally alters the taste of wine. But, that didn’t stop Margaritas or Ned Flander’s White wine spritzer from getting catchy songs. Maybe it’s a seasonal thing. But, so is Christmas. So, it’s time we give mulled wine a little airtime.
So, what is it?
Mulled wine is simply wine heated with spices and sugar or other sweetener. Think of it as a lighter, fruitier version of hot buttered rum. Except, without the buttery part, and lower alcohol. People put potpourri scents around their house. If you want the house to smell like cinnamon and cloves, you may as well have a tasty drink to go along with it. And, the addition of alcohol places mulled wine a step up from mulled cider. Really, aren’t they both just sweetened spiced fruit juices served warm? So, why not try it?
Let’s not forget, you are altering the flavor and experience of wine when it is mulled. So, don’t use the good stuff. The reason you pay top dollar for a good wine is for its unique character. When you mull wine, you are adding in the character. The wine is just a base. So, the question is more about varietal than individual uniqueness of a certain vintage.
Pick the right wine requires us to say Let’s mull it over a bit
Of course, it doesn’t take that much thought. Mulled wine works best with wines that don’t have the most sought after characteristic: High tannin and oaky flavors. You can use red, white, or rose. But, try to focus on wines aged without wood. Look for stainless steel fermented if possible. Tannins, woods, and other wine characteristics result in bitterness when heated. So, your most popular wines like oaked chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons don’t lend well to mulling.
More fruit forward wines like pinot noir, Zinfandel, Pinot grigio, Sauvignon blanc, reisling, or a lighter merlot all make for good choices when mulling. Just add brown sugar and/or maple, honey or agave, some cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and maybe some star anise, and you’re on your way to a comforting night down by the fire.
And, in this age of designer cocktails, mulled wine should be one of the hottest things around (See what we did there?).
So, just follow our recipe or make up your own. It’s a fun thing to experiment with. Use all manner of citrus. Heck it can be like a hot sangria if you do it right.
Winter warmer Mulled Wine
Ingredients
- 1 quart Red Zinfandel Wine (may substitute other variety. But, avoid heavily oaked or high tannin wines)
- 2 Whole Clementines or tangerines may substitute oranges
- 4 3 inch cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp Whole Cloves
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Honey
- 1 clove Nutmeg
- 1 Medium Apple
- 4 each Star Anise (optional)
- 1 each bay leaf (optional)
- 4 Large Seasonal Grapes for garnish
- Mixture of 1/2 and 1/2 sugar and cinnamon for rimming the glass
Instructions
- Cut the clementines in half. Cut the apple into eight wedges and remove the seeds. Place all ingredients except grapes and cinnamon sugar in a pot. Bring to a low simmer. Stir well until the sugar and honey melt into the liquid. Allow to steep for about 10 to 15 minutes until the flavors have had time to mull together.
- Dip the rims of Thick rimmed glasses, preferably mugs, in water to moisten enough to make the cinnamon sugar stick. Put the sugar mix in a plate and dip the wet rims into the sugar mix. make sure you get a nice sugar rim.
- Strain the wine into the rimmed glasses. Garnish with the clementines, apples, cinnamon sticks and grapes. If you can slit the fruits so they can hang on the edge of the glass, that is preferable. Drink while still warm.