Probably no traditional Christmas celebration today is complete without mulled wine. However, like many food histories, the origin of the wine and its association with Christmas is still largely a matter of research.

Also known as spiced wine, it is essentially made with red wine diluted with water, sweetened with sugar, flavoured with spices such as cloves and cinnamon, and served hot. However, home wine makers and chefs across the world have often added their own twist to it, adding or replacing some of the ingredients. Post 16th century, winemakers began adding fruits such as oranges, apples, lemons, etc.

According to food historians, mulled wine was probably invented by the Romans in the second century BC when they found warming the wine helped them overcome the bitter cold days while adding spices made it aromatic, therapeutic, and long lasting. The mulled wine (though this name came much later) is said to have spread with the expansion of the Roman Empire.

"Although it has not been established how mulled wine came to be associated with Christmas, according to some researchers, it was around the 1890s that glögg (meaning 'glowing ember'), as mulled wine was known as in Sweden and other Nordic countries, began to be sold in bottles by wine merchants during Christmas (often with a picture of Santa Claus on the label), probably as gifts. Most likely, this was how the wine came to be associated with Christmas."

The drink came to India along with the British and stayed on again as part of the Christmas celebrations.

Since the pandemic, the popularity of the mulled wine appears to have resurfaced as many people believe the addition of spices infuses it with healthy properties. Today, there are probably as many recipes for mulled wine as there are chefs and home winemakers.

Mulled Wine Recipe

Ingredients

8-10 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 nutmeg (roughly grated)

2 cups water

1 orange (grated rind).

1 apple (roughly chopped  with skin on)

750 ml wine - 750ml (fruity and red, e.g. Merlot)

Method

Heat all the whole spices and sugar, water, orange rind and apple in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for ten minutes. Add red wine and simmer for another five minutes. Remove from heat. It is best to strain and serve it immediately before it gets cold.