Everything you need to make mulled wine at home, according to an expert

Christmas brings with it many traditions, from decorating a tree to tucking into a turkey and pulling cracker.

Aside from spending time with loved ones, arguably the best part of the festive season is the food and drink, and one of the most popular beverages during such merriment is of course mulled wine.

Made with red wine, spices and fruit, it’s a staple at Christmas markets and get togethers as a winter warming drink that not only tastes delicious but keep your hands warm too. You can also make it non-alcoholic, if you so wish.

As the majority of Christmas markets across the UK are cancelled this year, with many hosting virtual stalls instead to help customers support small businesses online instead, and the ongoing pandemic continues to disrupt our usual festive plans, this year is looking a little different.

However, it doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy what the season has to offer, including mulled wine, so we’ve curated your expert guide to making the spiced drink at home.

From kitchen utensils to essential ingredients, this is everything you need to mastering the art of making mulled wine in your kitchen.

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First up is your ingredients, that when mixed together will make a flavoursome festive treat. 

According to Ciaran Russell, liquid innovations manager at Sipsmith Gin, you will need:

Once you have all your ingredients the rest is simple, as Russell details below.

Bring all liquid to a simmer on a medium to high heat.

Add in sugar, oranges, plum, apple and the spice bag and reduce heat to a low heat.

Let it mull for 30-45 mins before serving.

If you need a helping hand in choosing a bottle of red, in our review of the best South African pinotage wines, we loved this M&S classics no. 16 pinotage 2020 (M&S, £8) that our tester described as “full-bodied and intensely flavoured.”

They explained the taste as full of “deep, wild berry and plum flavours are to the fore along with a touch of oak, a supple strength and that attractive bonus of spice and a hint of smoke.” 

For something juicy to add to your mulled mix, we’d also recommend picking up this Journey’s End bluegum merlot 2017 (Sainsbury’s, £10) which earned a spot in our guide to the best merlots.

Our reviewer praised it for being full-bodied and rich in cherry, plum and blackberry flavours. While it will make a delicious base for your mulled wine creations, they also noted that “just a glass will add to the pleasure of a steak or a meal of lamb or pork chops.”

Another brilliant budget buy is this Errazuriz estate series merlot (Majestic, £9.99) which featured in our review of best wines under £10.

“This Chilean merlot has really benefited from some time in oak, with rounder tannins and a touch of vanilla sweetness as a result,” our reviewer said, adding, “it still has all the fresh red fruit you’d expect from a youthful style, along with a subtle but uplifting herbaceous note of peppermint.”

It’s not just the ingredients that ensure you have the tastiest drink possible, the tools you use play an equally important role.

For peeling your oranges and apples, we’d recommend this SharpPeel stainless steel straight potato peeler (Lakeland, £4.99) that topped our review of the best peelers and graters.

“This was so sharp, peeling the toughest of spuds and carrots was effortless,” said our reviewer, who found the thinner the peel, the more you got from your ingredients.

If you prefer to grate your spiced fruits, then try this Brabantia tasty colours fine grater (Brabantia, £7.50) which also impressed our reviewers for its versatility, grating everything from orange zest to parmesan.

It comes in a variety if colours with a on-slip handle and base, which we found steadied the tool when using a bowl or a worktop.

You will also need a saucepan that quickly and evenly heats up, is dishwasher safe (the less washing up during the festive period, the better), non-stick and suitable for your hob.

In our guide to the best saucepan sets, our reviewer loved this Eaziglide never-stick 3-piece saucepan set (John Lewis & Partners, £135) that were found to be surprisingly lightweight.

“It’s a bold claim to say nothing will ever stick to a pan, but with these it’s actually true – even scrambled egg and home-made caramel sauce left no trace (which obviously gets another big tick for being easier to wash up),” they said.

Most importantly they’re suitable for all hob types, and can be put in the oven too, withstanding temperatures of up to 260C, so you’ll also get lots of use of out them for your Christmas dinner and cooking throughout the year.

Russell is used to distributing mulled wine at Christmas time, and recommends using a ladle to serve. It can scoop and serve the optimal amount of drink and will keep hand safe from the hot liquid at all times. 

This Robert Welch signature solid stainless steel ladle (£18, John Lewis & Partners) is ideal and will come in handy when serving gravy and turkey soups throughout the Christmas season, too.

We all know that Christmas is when the fancy glassware comes out, sometimes the only appearance it makes all year, and presentation is key for your finishing touch.

If you like a wine tumbler, we love this set of Riedel O wine tumblers (Riedel, £25) which earned a spot in our guide to the best tumbler glasses.

“This syrah glass has a very bulbous shape, with a large bowl which felt great in our grip,” our reviewer said, who found it to be a versatile option for wines, cocktails, cold beer of soft drinks.

If you prefer a stem to hold, which come in handy if you’re drinking something hot, these House by John Lewis stackable wine glasses (John Lewis, £12) are an inexpensive way to show off your new culinary skills.

As the name suggests, they also stack on top of each other, saving you space in your cupboards while catering to bigger groups. They’re dishwasher safe too so you won’t need to worry about washing out red wine stains.

You may want to invest in more insulated glass if you’ll be drinking outside, to ensure your wine stays warm but not too hot for your hands to hold.

The tea experts at Whittard have created this nova double-walled mug (Whittards, £10) that does just that. It’s made from borosilicate glass that’s heat resistant, and also features an insulation system so it will always be cool on the outside but keep liquids warm.

It’s perfect for your morning tea and evening mulled wine, making it a handy addition to your kitchen.

For more Christmas tipples, read our guide to the best sherries