Should Mulled Wine Be Served In A Mug Or Wine Glass?

If you're having people over for a gathering or party, mulled wine is the perfect thing to serve. It's a drink that feels special and it's virtually impossible to mess up since you're just combining a bunch of ingredients that already taste good. Besides, it's a clever way to dress up an inexpensive red wine. But if you're new to the wine mulling game, you might be unsure about whether to serve it in casual mugs or fancy wine glasses. 

Mugs are not only perfectly acceptable for serving mulled wine, they're arguably the optimal choice. A typical wine glass is made of relatively thin glass, so if you put a hot beverage in it, they're going to be difficult to hold, especially if they're stemless. There are other options, which we'll get to, but the bottom line is that there's no need to go out and buy new glassware if you already have a decent set of mugs for your guests to use.

There are plenty of different recipes for warm, wintry mulled wine, but at its core, it's typically red wine, sugar, spices like cinnamon, clove, anise, orange slices, and sometimes a fortified wine like brandy. All of these are mixed in a pot or slow cooker and gently heated so that it's pleasantly warm, but not boiling so that the alcohol doesn't cook off. Mugs are the standard serving ware for the same reason you'd put any hot drink in a mug — the thick ceramic protects your hands from the heat and the handle makes it easier to hold.

It's not uncommon for mulled wine to be served in clear, glass mugs with or without a foot (think the kind of glass Irish coffee is served in) to show off that lovely, deep garnet color. But that said, there's nothing wrong with serving mulled wine in a regular, opaque vessel that you probably most often use for coffee or tea. If you're concerned with appearances, ideally you'll have a matching set with enough mugs for all of your guests — but let's be honest, it's going to taste just as good out of your "Don't talk to me until I've had my coffee" mug.

It's not unheard of to serve mulled wine in glasses, as long as they meet a few requirements. You'll want to look for goblets rather than standard wine glasses, as they tend to have thicker glass to better protect your hands and a sturdy stem. Often they'll also be decorated which makes them a nice, decorative touch. But unless you already have them on hand or are really into glassware, no need to go out and buy them.

If you're serving mulled wine in simpler glassware but still want to offer your guests a nice presentation, the good thing about mulled wine is that some of the standard ingredients make nice garnishes as well. You're likely already adding oranges to the mix, so it's easy enough to reserve some orange wheels to sit on the rim of the mug. You can also pop in a cinnamon stick or even just pick up some of the whole spices like anise stars and cardamon pods from the pot when ladling the wine into your chosen cups. 

The beauty of mulled wine is that it can be as extravagant or as simple as you want. Either way, it'll give your guests a dose of nice, warm cheer.