Brandy Mulled Wine Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What wine is infused with brandy? ›

Fortified wine is a wine to which a distilled spirit, usually brandy, has been added. In the course of some centuries, winemakers have developed many different styles of fortified wine, including port, sherry, madeira, Marsala, Commandaria wine, and the aromatised wine vermouth.

The best red wine to use for mulled wine is Merlot, Zinfandel or Garnacha (also called Grenache). These wines are dark, fruity and full bodied, which means they can support all of the flavors we'll be adding. Look for labels that describe the wine as “jammy” or with “notes of vanilla.”

Ainsley Harriott recommends mulling wines in a slow cooker and says two hours at low temperature gives excellent results and should retain most alcohol content.

Today, it is one of the most popular party drinks with more variations than you can drink in a lifetime. This recipe is for a basic sangria, made with two bottles of red wine, a little brandy and orange liqueur, a few fruits, and club soda. It's easy and delicious, which is why it's perfect for a gathering.

At its core, fortified wine is about enhancement and preservation. By adding a distilled spirit, usually grape brandy, winemakers not only increase the alcohol content but also introduce a new dimension of flavor. This process, dating back centuries, was initially a way to stabilize wine for long voyages.

Just like with the best wines for sangria, the wines you choose for mulled wine don't need to be fancy (you'll be adding other ingredients to it anyway so there's no need to break the bank on an expensive bottle).

The best red wines for mulled wines taste bright and fresh, such as Grenache, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, fruit-forward Pinot Noir. Inexpensive Bordeaux is another great choice for mulled wine; in fact, claret was a traditional choice for British mulled wine in William Shakespeare's day.

Method. Put the red wine, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, lemon zest and sugar in a large pan. Cook on a low heat for 10 mins. Remove from the heat and cool, leaving to infuse for about 30 mins.

Be careful not to over heat or boil the mixture. Since alcohol evaporates at 172 degrees which is much lower than water you would be left with a non-alcoholic version of mulled wine and that defeats the purpose.

Can you overcook mulled wine? ›

Be careful not to overcook as the wine will reduce. Remove pan from heat. Cover and steep until well-flavored. We recommend letting it steep 5 to 10 minutes.

Yes. Even though the spiced wine is heated, most of the alcohol remains.

Muslims are prohibited from drinking (or smoking) anything that will make a person intoxicated.

Does the alcohol cook out when making mulled wine? In short, yes, some of the alcohol burns off when boiling mulled wine, but you should only be gently bringing up to the boil and simmering for around 15-30 minutes which isn't enough time to completely remove all alcohol traces.

Don't Overheat the Wine

Simmer the wine instead, and never boil it, as sugars will caramelize. Plus, alcohol burns off as it's heated, so don't “cook” the wine. When overheated, wine can taste raisin-like or syrupy, cancelling out the original fruity flavors that enhance spices and sweeteners.

Fortified wine is made similarly to regular wine. Fermentation happens from the combination of sugar and yeast to create alcohol, but before the fermentation process is complete, brandy is added to the mix. The alcohol in the brandy kills the remaining yeast, stopping fermentation mid-process.

Dry vermouth is produced by blending white wine with herbs and spices before adding brandy for fortification, and it's an essential building block of the classic Martini. Sweet vermouth, sometimes referred to as Italian vermouth, has a heavier mouthfeel and a more caramelized, fruity character than dry vermouth.

Brandy has a fruity and subtly sweet taste. It can also have flavor notes of oak since it is typically aged in wooden casks.

Examples of brandy include pisco, armagnac or Obstler (a brandy produced in Austria and Switzerland). Cognac, however, is always made with grapes and has a very specific distillation and blending process located in a small, protected area in the southwest of France. considered as brandy, but not all brandy is cognac.”