Why Glögg Wine is a Holiday Tradition
Many are familiar with the holiday tradition of mulled wine, served warm with spices. Quite simply, a nice mulled wine is like “Christmas in a bottle” and that’s why we love it so much – the smell alone evokes memories of holidays shared with loved ones. After making Glögg a part of our own family traditions for years, we brought home a few samples home from Sweden for David to study as we prepared to release our own under the Pedernales Cellars label. The rest is history.
What is the history behind Glögg wine?
You may not realize it, but the practice of making mulled wine did not begin as a holiday tradition. It actually originated with the Romans who warmed their wines in the winter to ward off sickness. Then Europeans began adding spices to support their immune systems during cold and flu season. It wasn’t until the late 1800’s that Cognac-Glögg became associated with Christmas, a tradition that continues to this day.
Why does Pedernales Cellars make a Swedish style Glögg?
In addition to paying homage to our Swedish Osterberg family roots, I also lived in Sweden for several years. I always loved that at Christmas time, wherever you went, you would be greeted with warm Glögg in little glass mugs filled with almonds and raisins. Everything about that custom compliments the spirit of the giving season so nicely. Glögg is also the only wine that pairs with cinnamon buns which are also prevalent in Sweden.
Considering family heritage, I tend to prefer the Swedish style mulled wine to the German-style Glühwein. Glühwein is primarily spiced with cinnamon, but traditional Swedish-style Glögg offers much more complexity with cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg in the mix.
How long as Glögg been a tradition at Pedernales Cellars?
We made our first Glögg in 2009, and it was an instant hit! This year marks our tenth year and we are proud to be one of the first to make a traditional style mulled wine from Texas.
Because the nose is complex and features so many of the holiday smells that our guests know and love the wine has developed its own cult following. We begin getting requests for it as early as September.
What does Glögg taste like?
Guests are often surprised by the flavor profile and how much it really is “Christmas in a bottle.” Even wine writers, who are often very skeptical at first, warm to it (no pun intended!) once they taste it.
For our tasting room team, we have something fun to offer our guests that is out of the ordinary and often unexpected. Glögg is an experience that our guests can also take home to share with friends and family over the holidays, and at $20 per bottle, it is also a great gift-giving idea.
The bottles sell out soon after our holiday Glöggfest. This year (2019) we will celebrate Glöggfest on December 14th in our estate tasting room.
Above photo credit: Heather Baird
How to prepare Glögg
Family recipes vary greatly, but all include wine that is slowly warmed with spices, sugar, and sometimes additional spirits like brandy. We usually warm our Glögg in a slow cooker set on high. While warming the wine you'll need to add some sugar (1/4 - 1/2 cup per bottle of wine) depending on your taste. You can also add dark raisins for flavor. Ladle the wine into mugs, and serve hot with toasted almonds and dark raisins to garnish, add citrus if desired.
Pairs well with cinnamon buns or gingerbread.