El warm wine It has been warming Europeans for two millennia. Since Stockholm to Alsace, passing through Vienna and Budapest, this winter drink is consumed. She is currently employed in the Christmas and the markets continue to sell it as in the Middle Ages. Here we explain its history and its recipe. Take advantage and prepare it before the most purists burn you for a heretic.
The recipe
It is general culture to say that Spain is a country with a rich wine tradition. In this country the diversity of grapes abounds and we have wines of all colors and flavors. There are an infinity of nuances. There is everything here when it comes to wine. Sure? There is something that we do not find in Spain or in Latin America. We are talking about warm spiced wine, a true Christmas tradition in the center and in the north Europe. Reading this, you may be wondering: who happens to heat wine?
Not all wines are worth it. Are preferable light, semi-dry and a powerful flavor while simple. You can discard all those that have passed through a barrel. This is because with spices you will not be able to appreciate any of the nuances. For this reason you should not worry when preparing it at home. The ingredients for six glasses are easy to get, plus economic:
- A bottle of red wine
- An orange
- One hundred grams of powdered sugar
- A branch of cinnamon
- A star of star anise
- Two cloves
- A pinch of grated nutmeg
Warm wine: a bit of history
The idea of heating the wine arose in the Roman empire when Christ he was 20 years old. Started to boil miel in the wine before adding spices. Among these we can mention pepper, bay leaf, tuberose and saffron. Roasted dates were also added to the drink. The last step was to dilute this blend into a quality wine to smooth it out.
This drink spread through Europe at the same rate as the empire. That is why it came to medieval times mainly in the center of the continent under the name of Hippocra. The name comes from the fact that it is attributed to the Greek Hippocrates in the century V AC However, there is no proof that he made it up.
A clear example is that of Montpellier in France. The city acquired international prestige for the trade of warm wine spicy. Being a port city it had the privilege of the arrival of oriental spices. Made of nail one of the strong points of the wine.
A little further north is Sweden. It was in the XVI century when the monarch Gustavo, a great fan of mixing, made it known to the aristocrats. He was a foodie and knew the best wines on the continent. He mixed Rhine wines. A century later he came to town and became popular as Mulled wine (mulled wine).
Already at the end of nineteenth centuryWith the rise of the bourgeoisie and industry, it ended up expanding throughout Europe. Merchants managed to associate it with Christmas through the marketing existing at that time. In that period, honey was no longer used.
The success of warm wine
Social life basically took place in the markets during the Middle Ages and Modern age. These were the equivalent of social media. However, the freezing winter at north of the Pyrenees it hurt merchants. The general trend was to gather at home during these months and that is why they heated wine. They offered it to their customers so that they could last longer on the street and stay chat. In this way, between one thing and another, the markets were not emptied.
Sweden is likely to be the country where it has succeeded the most. In the Scandinavian country the sale of bottles of Mulled wine ya prepared. This is not so easily seen in other countries like Germany, where it is called Glühwein. These are the two main versions of the drink. The Swede usually adds some vodka o Aquavit to drink due to the harshness of winter. In addition, it is served in a cup with nuts in the background. The Germanic version has the recipe mentioned at the beginning of the article.
It is common for Swedes to buy exorbitant amounts of bottles. Not that they are inveterate alcoholics. The custom is that they are not all drunk in winter. The leftover bottles are used in summer as a Bleeding. They flip the tortilla and serve them cold to refresh. That is why the world of wine never ceases to amaze us. It is a drink in which the innovation and tradition are two of its most characteristic constants. Do you want to try the warm wine?
