Choice of best festive wines to mull over
Rosalind Erskine puts supermarket mulled wines to the Christmas taste test
If you plan on having a boozy tipple to celebrate the start of the festive season, here are some of the best and worst supermarket mulled wines on offer.
Asda mulled wine, £3. This is as fruity as its label would suggest with a rich nose of orange, nutmeg and bay. While not as robust and complex as others, it’s an enjoyable drink with a nice citrus hit that marries well with the traditional cinnamon and festive spices. ★★★
M&S red mulled wine, £5. On the nose there isn’t as much spice as you’d expect, though still enough festive aromas to get you in the Christmas spirit. This has placed itself firmly in the overly sweet camp, which is common for many. Not unpleasant, but it’s lacking robust flavours and a bit sickly for my taste. ★★
Waitrose mulled wine, £5.49. This Spanish grape varieties mulled wine has a nose of plums, cherries and dark fruits alongside cinnamon. Waitrose manages to avoid the trap many fall into by going down the dry, rather than overly-sweet, route – something I prefer. With a blend of citrus fruits, orange peel and tart complex taste, it’s an easy to drink non-sickly winter warmer.
Aldi Specially Selected mulled wine, £4.99. Made with Spanish Tempranillo wine, you’d expect this to be richer than it is. On the nose, this is not too heavy on the spice and the taste is sweet and warming.
Lidl Christkindl Gluhwein, £4.99. The name and bottle look like something straight from your local German market, and it appears like it’ll be the most traditional of the mulled wines. On the nose there are hints of red berries and dark fruits as well as a hint of warming spices. Rich tasting, it’s not too sweet, spicy or sickly.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference mulled wine,
£5. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference mulled wine is reminiscent of hot Ribena on the nose with subtle festive spices. The taste is well-balanced if overly sweet, with juicy berries.
Iceland Harvest Fruits,
£2.75. On the nose, this is heavy on the cloves, so it’s hard not to feel festive when drinking it. This is not too sweet. It’s a bit of a lightweight, but pleasant.