The Best Wine for Mulled Wine (10 Best Bottles, Recipe)

by Elaine Lau

Mulled wine is synonymous with Christmas cheer everywhere. This traditional European drink is a warm spiced wine made using red wine, mulling spices, and occasionally dried fruits.

If you’re making mulled wine at home, using expensive fine wine isn’t a wise move. Your mulling spices will likely overpower the subtle taste notes in your wine.

If not fine wine, what’s the best wine for mulled wine?

In this article, we'll discuss the ten best bottles you can use for mulled wine, an easy mulled wine recipe, and some quick facts about mulled wine.

Best Wine for Mulled Wine: 10 Bottles to Choose From

Here are the ten best wine bottles you can use to make the best mulled wine:

2012 CVNE 'Cune' Crianza, Rioja DOCa, Spain ($36)
1997 Lapostolle Casa Grand Selection Merlot, Rapel, Chile ($24)
2009 Bonterra Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, California, USA ($21)
2013 Vina Leyda Reserva Pinot Noir, Leyda Valley, Chile ($30)
2015 Cline Cellars Ancient Vines Zinfandel, Contra Costa County, USA ($29)
2011 Domaine Bousquet Malbec, Tupungato, Argentina ($18)
2014 Bodega Garzón Tannat, Maldonado, Uruguay ($ 20)
2018 Château Maris Rouge, IGP Pays d'Oc, France ($16)
2007 Fabrizio Dionisio Il Castagno Syrah Cortona, Tuscany, Italy ($40)
2018 M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône Belleruche, Rhône, France ($15)

1. 2012 CVNE 'Cune' Crianza, Rioja DOCa, Spain ($36)

This red wine has berry and tobacco aromas accompanied by dark plum, raspberry, spice, and pepper flavor notes.

2. 1997 Lapostolle Casa Grand Selection Merlot, Rapel, Chile ($24)

Here we have a Chilean Merlot with leather and black fruit aromas. The palate has blackberry and toasty oak flavors.

3. 2009 Bonterra Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, California, USA ($21)

Here is an organic wine with exotic spice, green tea, and cedar aromas. This ruby-red wine is medium-bodied with a dominant flavor of citrus and cherries.

4. 2013 Vina Leyda Reserva Pinot Noir, Leyda Valley, Chile ($30)

This light ruby-colored Pinot Noir has an aroma of earthy and oaky notes. It offers a fruity palate of cherry, strawberry, and hints of citrus peel.

5. 2015 Cline Cellars Ancient Vines Zinfandel, Contra Costa County, USA ($29)

With spicy aromas of vanilla and nutmeg, this red wine features a ripe red fruit flavor and a hint of spice to give you a mouthwatering experience.

6. 2011 Domaine Bousquet Malbec, Tupungato, Argentina ($18)

Here we have a dark violet-colored Malbec that features coffee and leather aromas. Its dominant flavors of blueberry, orange peel, and chocolate offer a jammy mouthfeel.

7. 2014 Bodega Garzón Tannat, Maldonado, Uruguay ($ 20)

Here’s a rich red wine with plums, blackberries, and vanilla aromas. This beautifully balanced wine has bold red and black fruit flavors, along with white pepper and other warming spices.

8. 2018 Château Maris Rouge, IGP Pays d'Oc, France ($16)

This full-bodied and easy drinking wine has a rich red fruit aroma accompanied by strawberry, raspberry, and black cherry flavors.

9. 2007 Fabrizio Dionisio Il Castagno Syrah Cortona, Tuscany, Italy ($40)

Here’s a light and balanced red wine with an oriental spicy nose. On the palate, it has blackberry and pepper flavors with soft velvety tannins.

10. 2018 M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône Belleruche, Rhône, France ($15)

This deep red garnet-colored wine has the aromas of raspberry and blackcurrant. It has an intense taste with dominant flavors of red fruit, toasted caramel, and licorice.

Now that we’ve covered the ten best wine bottles for mulled wine, let’s look at how you can easily make the best mulled wine at home.

The Best Mulled Wine Recipe

Here’s a quick recipe to make the perfect homemade mulled wine:

Mulled Wine Recipe Ingredients:

1 bottle red wine
¼ cup brandy
1 fresh orange
2whole cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
2 cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
1-2 tablespoons of sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey
Optional garnishsuch as fresh cranberry, orange slice, cinnamon stick, cardamom pod, or star anise

Mulled Wine Recipe Directions:

Squeeze the orange juice into a heavy-bottomed instant pot. Add some lemon zest for an extra burst of citrus.
Pour your wine into the orange juice, followed by brandy and sweetener.
Next, add all your mulled wine spices (clove, cinnamon, cardamom pod, and star anise.) Tie your spices in cheesecloth if you don’t want them to float in your drink.
Simmer this mixture at medium heat until it’s steaming, and reduce the heat as soon as you see tiny bubbles on the surface.
Adjust the taste by adding more sweetener to your mixture or continue to heat it at a low temperature to increase its spiciness.
Finally, serve this hot wine in mugs with your favorite garnish!

A Few Interesting Facts About Mulled Wine

Here are a few quick facts about the festive-favorite mulled wine:

What’s Mulled Wine Also Known As?

Mulled wine goes by other names in different parts of the world.

Here are some examples:

Glühwein or German mulled wine in Germany
Glögg in Nordic countries
Vin Chaud in France and Switzerland
Vin Brulé in Northern Italy

What Food Do You Serve With Mulled Wine?

Here are some of the dishes you can pair with your mulled wine:

Cheese: Blue cheese, cheddar, comté cheese, camembert, roquefort, and wensleydale.
Nuts: Roasted nuts, salted nuts, and flavored nuts such as barbeque, honey roasted
Roasted dishes: Roasted lemon chicken, roasted eggplant, and roasted pork chops
Deep-fried food: Pork schnitzel, fried mozzarella sticks, and fish and chips

Can You Make Mulled Wine with White Wine?

You can make delicious mulled wine using aromatic dry white wine, such as Riesling, Moscato, and Chenin Blanc as well.

Find the Best Wine for Making the Perfect Mulled Wine!

A glass of mulled wine will surely warm you from the inside out, especially during the colder festive season!

If you’re making mulled wine, don’t pick a delicate fine wine as an ingredient as your mulling spices will overpower its taste. Instead, choose an affordable, bold, dry red wine from our list.

But, if you're looking for an investment-worthy wine bottle to add to your collection, check out Vinovest.Its AI-based wine investment platform will help you easily buy, store, and sell your fine wine bottles.