| Well it's finally getting cold; the leaves on the trees | | | | clove a sweetener such as honey or sugar and of |
| have started to change their colours and have | | | | course red wine. Some like to add brandy, cognac |
| begun to tumble to the ground in droves. To | | | | or Grand Marnier to fortify their mulled wines |
| some people this is the start to a very beautiful | | | | while others give it a minty kick with a candy |
| time of year, to others including myself this time | | | | cane or two. The wine does not have to be an |
| of year is probably the most depressing. Why | | | | expensive bottle; most who make mulled wine |
| would someone think that the magnificent colour | | | | themselves will actually suggest to anyone |
| changing leaves be so disheartening? That is easy, | | | | interesting in attempting their first batch to begin |
| it's a sign that summer is over and winter is on its | | | | by using an inexpensive bottle of wine since you |
| way. No more BBQs, no more lazy days spent | | | | are adding so many other flavours. Remember, |
| beside the pool or the beach sipping a lovely white | | | | the original reason for mulled wine was to mask |
| wine or sangria (or even a wine cooler if so | | | | the flavours of spoiled wine so the original recipes |
| inclined). So more driving around with the windows | | | | did not use high quality vino. What recipe is the |
| down and the breeze in your hair, or picnics in the | | | | best to use? Well that is always going to be up |
| park, instead now it's raking the leaves, bundling | | | | for debate. As stated above there are pretty |
| up with scarves and sweaters and rethinking | | | | standard ingredients that make up the base for a |
| unnecessary trips out of the house because it's | | | | mulled wine. What sort of proportions you add of |
| cold! But all is not lost I suppose! Even though it | | | | each and what else you decide to add in addition |
| might be time to trade in our bikini bathing suits | | | | is only limited to imagination (and of course |
| for long underwear and retire our BBQs for | | | | palatability, don't want to create a mulled wine |
| another year one can now rejoice in the fact that | | | | that doesn't taste good!). If you want to use wine |
| the time of year for hot mulled wine while | | | | but do not want the alcohol content simply boil |
| snuggling in front of a fire is here! What exactly is | | | | the mulled wine for a few moments, those who |
| mulled wine? Made from red wine, mulled wine | | | | want to maintain the alcohol are suggested to not |
| (and its various counterparts around the world | | | | boil the wine at all but rather simmer to infuse the |
| such as vin chaud, Gluhwien, Forralt bor and vin | | | | flavours of the spices added. If you find the |
| brulé) has various spices added to it and | | | | whole idea of combining all sorts of things |
| usually served hot. Sounds perfect for that cold | | | | together with wine a bit daunting and don't want |
| winter evening doesn't it? A little known fact | | | | to worry about making a batch that is positively |
| however is, that mulled wine was not originally | | | | ghastly, try the little sachets or bottles of mulled |
| created as a warm and festive alternative to | | | | wine syrups that are available in retail outlets. |
| regular red wine. Rather, mulled wine was created | | | | Using these are quite simple and the guesswork is |
| as a way to make red wine taste better at a | | | | taken out for you but still give you a fantastic |
| time when it would expire and go rancid rather | | | | mulled wine to enjoy with friends and family over |
| quickly. The addition of a combination of honey | | | | the holidays of simply while snuggling with your |
| and spices helped flavour and thus allowed wine | | | | loved one on a cold winter evening. |
| that had turned slightly to be consumed again. | | | | Ken Finnigan is the CEO of Finest Wine Racks a |
| There are a plethora of recipes online and in cook | | | | family owned and run website specializing in quality |
| books that suggest the perfect way to make | | | | decorative wine racks and durable wine storage |
| mulled wine. However, most mulled wines consist | | | | systems. |
| of the same basic ingredients: orange, nutmeg, | | | | |