Bavarian “Glutton” Glühwein

Photo by Suzanne Little

With the holidays and cold temperatures setting in across the country, I thought it was time to share one of my favorite holiday winter drinks from Germany.  Glühwein, a mulled wine, is certainly unique, but not necessarily an acquired taste.  Perfect for warming you up on any cold day and is extremely simple to prepare.

Glutton Glühwein Ingredients:

One bottle of Old Vine Grenache (750ml)

6-8 cloves

1 vanilla bean pod- sliced open (optional)

4 sticks of cinnamon

1 tsp of ground nutmeg

4 tbls of honey

2 tbls of sugar

3 orange slices

1 oz of rum (optional)

Preparation:

• For best results use a crockpot, but a medium sized pot on the stovetop will work just fine.
• Concerning the wine selection, I have found that Old Vine Grenache works best, but you can certainly use any red wine.  I recommend using bottles priced between $10-20.  Using high end bottles of wine is a waste and using the really cheap stuff is the equivalent to beating your head with a frying pan.
• Pour wine into the crockpot and set temperature on low.
• Mix all the ingredients together in the pot and stir until honey and sugar are dissolved.
• Warm the Glühwein for the at least 30 minutes.  Be sure to avoid boiling.

Serve in your mug of choice along with a fresh orange slice.