🍷 Mulled wine

Mulled wine is hot wine with spices, sugar and fruit. It is a winter drink. People enjoy it in Germany, Austria and other European countries, and in Ukraine, especially at Christmas markets.

Usually red wine is warmed, but not boiled, with cinnamon, cloves, star anise and orange peel or slices. It is sweetened with sugar or honey. Under European Union rules, such a drink must contain at least 7% alcohol.

Mulled wine belongs to the family of aromatised wines. Similar drinks exist in many places, such as Swedish glögg. An old relative in spirit is posset, also hot and spiced, but made with milk. On winter evenings adults may warm up with mulled wine, while warm milk at bedtime suits everyone.

Heating removes some of the alcohol, but not all of it, so it is still an alcoholic drink.