If you’re a wine lover, chances are you like any wine, whether it’s mulled or traditional. But were you aware of the differences? From taste to temperature, there are a few key differences between the two. Let’s go over the characteristics of mulled wine vs. traditional wine in today’s blog post.
Mulled Wine
This is a traditional drink typically served during the winter holiday season. It’s warmed up before serving, which is the first obvious difference between mulled and regular wine. Red is the main ingredient found in mulled wine, but there are other ingredients that give it a distinct, dominant flavor profile. Mulled wine is comprised of a blend of warming spices and fruits that will vary from recipe to recipe. These components are what transform regular wine into its mulled cousin.
The flavor profile of mulled wine is transformed by the heating and “mulling” processes comprised by the addition of spices, fruits, and sugar. While the broad flavor of the red wine remains, its nuances will be lost through the process. This is why many mulled wine recipes call for using a full-bodied red wine to try and capture more of the base flavor.
Mulled wine is sweet tasting thanks to the sugar or honey that has been added. The fruits in mulled wine are usually clementines, oranges, tangerines, or maybe apples and lemons. Whole spices include cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, or maybe some cardamom, bay leaves, peppercorns, ginger, or fennel. It’s this blend of warming spices that gives mulled wine its festive flavor.
Contrary to popular belief, mulled wine is not boiled, as this would reduce the alcohol content; Rather, it is brought to a simmering point and served at warm, sippable temperature. There are many variations of mulled wine that can include different spice blends, sweetener quantities, fruit components, and other kinds of liquor, such as port or brandy. Some have a base of fresh apple cider, and there are also non-alcoholic versions out there boasting a fruit-juice base.
Traditional Wine
Regular red wine is served at room temperature so in a sense, it is warm. However, it is not warmed up on the stove to achieve its cozy holiday taste. Rather than spices as the dominant flavor profile, traditional wine has dominant flavors of grape juice and other fruits that make it stand out, with a hint of headiness due to the alcohol content. Regular wine is, at its heart, fermented grape juice, but it’s not always that simple.
Each wine’s taste will depend on many factors, such as the grape variety, the soil and climate conditions of the specific growing location, the vintage, and the winemaker’s skills. Wine is characterized by its level of dryness or sweetness, the presence of tannins, and flavors of certain fruits.
Visit the Winery at Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery
Here at Robinette’s, we make and sell fruit wine, mulled wine, and house-made hard ciders in our winery. Come on down and sample a few! Wine tastings are just $8 per person and no reservations are necessary. To learn more, call us at (800) 400-8100 today.
