Mulled wine is a godsend. A soul-warming concoction administered by mailmen and other such folks of years past, to warm the mortal vessel after a hard day's work in the merciless snow.
Since then, it's become a tradition of sorts to consume mulled wine during the winter, as a sort of nod to those who braved the cold and blizzards. Then again, it's also enjoyed for other reasons- most commonly during the Christmas season.
It makes sense, too. Like all the other wonderful holidays we humans choose to celebrate and enjoy, Christmas has its own league of food and drink. Aside from the usuals like Eggnog and Christmas Cake, mulled wine makes its statement with its fruity and spiced punch all swirling in an alluring, warm glass of red wine.
Jül Glögg is Charith de Chickera's homage to the Christmas holidays. We sat with him for a small taste of this homemade brew, when he told us all about celebrating Christmas as a child with mulled wine playing quite the role.
Using a recipe passed down from the family, and having tweaked it to extract its fullest flavour- Charith's mulled wine brand completely bowled us over. For one, I quite prefer the more sour and tart wines as opposed to the fuller sweet ones, and this particular wine hit every single flavour note.
It's just the perfect amount of tart and sweet, and feels almost like a wholesome embrace. We had it warm. It immediately sends a fiery throng down your throat and nestles comfortably within your belly, making you feel remarkably cosy and happy. I was a bit skeptical at first, but then when I took that first sip it immediately lit my brain cells up, making me go 'whoa'.
Charith uses a blend of special spices and fruit peels. We couldn't tell you what goes into this, because he couldn't tell us. But the base ingredients consist of generous helpings of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, star anise and on it goes. A few classic citrus fruit peels and whatnot also blend into the scarlet foray, thus producing an extremely quality drinking wine.
Pair it with a sweet dessert, or some turkey. Or just have it on your own. Whichever.
We were told that the alcohol level isn't exactly high, but that first glass got me just the teensiest bit tipsy, although in my defense I had it on an empty stomach. What a way to start the day, noh?
Jül Glögg is a promising Christmas beverage that seduces you with its luxe, velvety feel and the incredible flavour profile. Call Charith up (0757906753) if you'd like to place an order for a bottle this Christmas. A bottle costs Rs. 5000, and is a good way to tie off your Christmas dinner, or to placate your hungry guests.
After all, 'tis the season to be jolly.
