It’s winter season, the perfect time of the year to enjoy a glass of wine. But not just any wine: mulled wine, or Glühwein, is the classic choice for cold weather. Across Northern Europe, this spiced, aromatic beverage is a staple of Christmas markets and social gatherings, where people chat and warm their hands with a steaming cup of wine in the frosty air.
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What Is Mulled Wine?
The term mulled refers to heating, sweetening, and flavoring a beverage such as wine or cider with spices [1]. Traditionally, it’s made by gently simmering red wine with warming spices, orange slices, brandy, and honey until the flavors are harmoniously blended.
This practice dates back to ancient Roman times, when spiced wine was consumed to stay warm during winter [2]. Across Europe, regional variations reflect different spice preferences:
- In Germany, Glühwein includes cinnamon, cloves, and citrus.
- In Nordic countries, Glögg often features almonds, raisins, and spirits.
- In the UK, English mulled wine is defined by cloves and orange zest.
Composition and Characteristics
Mulled wine is typically prepared using dry, fruity red wines such as Merlot, Zinfandel, Grenache, or Shiraz, varietals with sufficient body and ripe fruit character to balance the bold spices and citrus notes [3]. One of the most important parameters influencing flavor is the alcohol content. Depending on recipe and preparation we have commercial versions that range from 8–10% vol. up to traditional or homemade recipes from 10–13% vol.
Since the wine is heated, ethanol evaporation naturally occurs. Managing heating time is therefore crucial to achieving the desired alcohol balance. Accurate monitoring of ABV% (Alcohol by Volume) ensures product consistency and compliance with labeling requirements.
Non-alcoholic versions are also becoming popular: these are made from grape juice or alcohol-free wine, flavored with the same spices, citrus, and sweeteners, offering a similar warming taste without ethanol.
A Complex Analytical Matrix
The complexity of Glühwein goes beyond alcohol. Its anthocyanins contribute to color, while flavonols influence hue and flavan-3-ols provide mild bitterness. Tannins add astringency, and citrus ingredients introduce organic acids such as citric, ascorbic, and malic acids, all of which shape the final sensory profile [4].
The beverage also contains significant amounts of sucrose, enhancing sweetness and mouthfeel.
This intricate chemical matrix — combining sugars, acids, antioxidants, colorants, and spices — can interfere with traditional analytical methods for ethanol determination. Hence, precision and minimal sample handling are key for reliable results.
Accurate Alcohol Measurement with CDR WineLab®
With CDR WineLab®, ethanol can be measured directly on a small sample, without any distillation or complex preparation. The enzymatic method offers:
- High accuracy and repeatability
- Fast results in about 10 minutes
- Ready-to-use reagents and no maintenance required
This makes CDR WineLab® an ideal solution for wineries, research laboratories, and producers of spiced or heated wines seeking fast, accurate, and user-friendly alcohol analysis.
Whether it’s a chilled wine or a steaming, spiced Glühwein, CDR WineLab® ensures reliable results, whatever the flavor, temperature, or character of your beverage.
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Conclusion
The challenges evaluation of ethanol of evaluating ethanol in mulled wine demonstrate how the complexity of this matrix can affect traditional analytical workflows.
By applying an enzymatic photometric method implemented on CDR WineLab® and validated against reference distillation techniques, it is possible to obtain accurate and repeatable results in a fraction of the time.
This approach supports more efficient quality control, enabling producers and laboratories to manage even complex products with greater analytical confidence and operational continuity.
References
[1] Merriam–Webster. “Mull – Definition and Meaning.”
Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mull
[2] Wine Spectator. “Ethanol Loss During Heating.” 2023.
Available at: https://www.winespectator.com/articles/how-much-alcohol-in-mulled-wine-55825
[3] Casa Loce. “Is Mulled Wine Alcoholic or Non Alcoholic? Understanding Mulled Wine Alcohol Content, How It’s Made, and What to Expect From Every Sip.”
Available at: https://casaloce.com/pages/is-mulled-wine-alcoholic-or-non-alcoholic-mulled-wine-alcohol-content
[4] Compound Interest. “The Chemistry of Mulled Wine.” 2014.
Available at: https://www.compoundchem.com/2014/12/16/mulledwine/
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