Taste, pesticides, aromas
Mulled wines in the eco test: These brands are convincing – and these are not
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Christmas time is mulled wine time. But which one is the tastiest? And where might there even be dangerous ingredients? A new eco-test clears things up.
If you want to drink mulled wine in winter, you have two options: go to the Christmas market, out in the cold and spend several euros per drink, or warm up mulled wine at home by candlelight and enjoy it. As beautiful as the charm of Christmas markets is, the second variant is becoming increasingly popular. And here, too, there are two options: either make the mulled wine yourself or buy it ready-made in the supermarket. Anyone who chooses the latter will find recommendations in the new eco test – and also tips as to which mulled wine should not be drunk.
13 out of 24 mulled wines pass “very good”
24 mulled wines were examined in the eco test. Which flavors come into play? How is the overall taste? Are there pesticide residues? 13 brands were completely convincing:
- “Alnatura mulled wine” from Alnatura
- “Hot Deer” by Acht Grad Plus
- “Nuremberger Rauschgold Engel organic mulled wine” from Weinkellerei Hechtsheim
- “Pfaffmann Organic Winzermulled Wine Red”, Bioland from Weingut 1616 Pfaffmann Heinz Foundation
- “Rewe Feine Welt Mulled Wine” made from organic red wine from Rewe (Kunzmann Winery)
- “Voelkel Hygge mulled wine, red” from Voelkel
- “1112 Eleven Hundred Twelve Red Mulled Wine”, Margravial Baden Wine House
- “Heil mulled wine” from the Heil winery
- “Premium mulled wine, red”, Aldi-Nord (Andreas Oster Weinkellerei)
- “Little Red Riding Hood Mulled Wine” from Rotkäppchen-Mumm
- “Rotwild mulled wine”, Peter Mertes winery
- “Wolfsgut winter mulled wine, red” from Villa Baden Weinkontor
- “Spicy, aromatic mulled wine”, Aldi Nord/Aldi Süd (Hauser wine import)
Experts criticize every second mulled wine
Even if taste is something individual, there are spice notes that simply belong to mulled wine. Classically these are cinnamon, cloves and lemon or orange peel. The sensory experts complain about the fact that the mulled wine in many brands “little like spice” smell, sometimes even taste.
They gave the “Christmas mulled wine” they bought from Norma an “unclean” note in both respects. The “Grandma’s Glühweinbude Grandma’s Glühwein” from the St. Lorenz Winery was also not convincing in terms of taste; according to those who tested it, it tasted like the packaging. “Weineck’s Glühwein” had to lose points because “slightly untypical for mulled wine” respectively “slightly alien to mulled wine”Flavors were tasted.
Five mulled wines tested also had a high vanillin value, especially the “Nuremberger Glühwein Christkindles Markt-Glühwein”. However, it was discovered in a special laboratory that the flavoring substance was not only obtained naturally, but was produced synthetically or biotechnologically. The “not authentic vanilla aroma” was therefore deducted from the rating.
Warning: pesticide residues found
From December 8, 2023, mulled wine producers must list all the ingredients used on the bottle. What is not stated, however, is pesticide residues. In the eco test, the mulled wines were also examined for this – three quarters contained at least traces! Even three spray poisons were found in two mulled wines from the Franconian Winegrowers’ Association (GWF) and the Baden Winegrowers’ Association (WVB). These include iprovalicarb, “suspected to be carcinogenic,” and dimethomorph, which is said to impair fertility.
In addition to the products “Vintersaga Vinglögg” and “Rotkäppchen Glühwein” and four organic mulled wines, for example “Hygge Glühwein” from Voelke, there were no pesticide residues at all.
Sources used: oekotest.de