Best base wine for Gluwein (mulled wine)

[jmcquesten]

Not really a question about making wine, but what's the best base wine to get to make Gluwein? I really just want to try making mulled wine rather than buying a bottle of Gluwein, which I'll still probably end up doing. What is the traditional base wine used in Europe at the Christmas markets? When I was there, I saw them using bottled Gluwein and heating it in a tea urn.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Elmers white all purpose. Wait, what?

 

[jmcquesten]

Elmers white all purpose. Wait, what?

Awesome. That's helpful. Thanks for that.

 

[Feeny]

When I have made it (in the states and Germany) we always just got a cheaper bottle of wine. Red or white, not the cheapest but nothing expensive since you just going to mess with it anyway. Don't remember paying much attention of the actual type.

 

[jmcquesten]

When I have made it (in the states and Germany) we always just got a cheaper bottle of wine. Red or white, not the cheapest but nothing expensive since you just going to mess with it anyway. Don't remember paying much attention of the actual type.

Thanks for your reply. I knew it was some kind of red, but wasn't sure if there was a specific type of red that was traditionally used. I have a store bought bottle of gluhwein but I wanted to try spicing my own for comparison. From what I've read online, orange, cinnamon and clove is really all that's used. Some people add rum or brandy so I might experiment with one of those.

 

[RachmaelBenApplebaum]

Riesling, Gewurztraminer. If memory serves Gluhwein was white wine (usually from one of those varietals) that wasn't finished fermenting(read: residual sugar) and sold in rather large jugs. Unless you can get varietal juice rather cheaply, I would say that welches white grape juice fermented with some residual sugar would get you about the same effect. I would just go find some, or sweeten a bottle of riesling/gewurz and mull it. I personally think mulled wine is a sin, shortly in line after sweet wine, but that's one man's opinion

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

i used to live in germany and now that i'm back in the states I've had luck just getting the cheap 'chillable red' wine in a box. It's already fairly sweet so no need to add much sugar to the wine, and with the right amount of spices i've made some great gluhwein with this cheap box wine.

 

[jmcquesten]

Ok. Looks like I might have to try a couple different versions of this. The sweet red box wine sounds like a good option but I'm also curious about the reisling or gertz. I'll have plenty of the spices once I buy them for the first batch. Looks like i'll be drinking gluhwein for the next few weekends.