Vin brûlé (spiced mulled wine of the Lombard mists)
A red wine heated with sugar, cinnamon, cloves and citrus zest. The comfort drink of Lombard winters, fragrant and warming, sipped by the fire.
A red wine heated with sugar, cinnamon, cloves and citrus zest. The comfort drink of Lombard winters, fragrant and warming, sipped by the fire.
When the nebbia, that fog of our plain, clings to the windows and fingers freeze on the keys, nothing beats a glass of vin brûlé. Take an honest red — not the best, save that for the table — heat it without boiling, with sugar, a cinnamon stick, two or three cloves and the peel of an orange. You must watch it: let it steam, but never boil, for the spirit of the wine would fly away. Drink it scalding with orchestra friends, and the fog suddenly becomes less sad.
- •Local red wine (Oltrepò, robust type) — one bottle (base)
- •Sugar — a few spoonfuls (sweetness)
- •Cinnamon stick — one (spice)
- •Clove — two or three (spice)
- •Orange and lemon peel — a few strips (flavor)
Vin brûlé (spiced mulled wine of the Lombard mists)
A red wine heated with sugar, cinnamon, cloves and citrus zest. The comfort drink of Lombard winters, fragrant and warming, sipped by the fire.
Why this dish? In the foggy winters of the Po plain and Milan, vin brûlé warmed osterie and evening gatherings. Ponchielli, who took his meals in the osterie of the Conservatory district, would have known this spiced mulled wine after long rehearsals in the Milanese fog.
When the nebbia, that fog of our plain, clings to the windows and fingers freeze on the keys, nothing beats a glass of vin brûlé. Take an honest red — not the best, save that for the table — heat it without boiling, with sugar, a cinnamon stick, two or three cloves and the peel of an orange. You must watch it: let it steam, but never boil, for the spirit of the wine would fly away. Drink it scalding with orchestra friends, and the fog suddenly becomes less sad.
Ingredients (period version)
- Local red wine (Oltrepò, robust type) — one bottle (base)
- Sugar — a few spoonfuls (sweetness)
- Cinnamon stick — one (spice)
- Clove — two or three (spice)
- Orange and lemon peel — a few strips (flavor)
Ingredients
- Full-bodied red wine (Oltrepò Pavese, Barbera) — 750 ml (base)
- Sugar — 80 g (sweetness)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 (spice)
- Cloves — 3 (spice)
- Orange and lemon zest — from 1 orange and 1/2 lemon (flavor)
- Star anise (optional) — 1 (flavor)
Method
- Pour the wine into a saucepan with the sugar.
- Add the cinnamon, cloves, citrus zests (and star anise).
- Heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Keep just below a simmer for 10-15 minutes, never boiling (to retain alcohol and avoid bitterness).
- Strain and serve scalding in cups or thick glasses.
- For a non-alcoholic version for younger ones: replace the wine with red grape juice and the same spices.
How it was made : Spiced mulled wine is an ancient tradition in cold, foggy regions; in Lombardy, vin brûlé warmed markets and winter evenings. An ordinary wine was ennobled by spices, and sugar — more accessible in the 19th century — sweetened the mix.
The contemporary twist : Served in a handled glass with a cinnamon stick as a stirrer and a flamed zest for table-side perfume.
Sources : Tradition of vin brûlé / spiced mulled wine of Northern Italy
Amilcare Ponchielli · Charactorium