IF you still don’t want to put the heating on, warm up with a comforting mug of mulled wine instead.
The festive favourite, also known as gluhwein in Germany, is now on sale in shops – and a bottle can cost you less than three quid at the supermarket.
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But which of them hits the seasonal spot and what bottles are the ones to avoid?
Drinks expert Joe Wadsack puts the spiced tipples to the test and scores each out of ten.
Lidl, £4.99: 8/10
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Really nice gluhwein. It’s got a tang to it, followed by really nice notes of clove and cinnamon.
It’s a fantastic budget drink.
Gluhwein by Felix Solis, Tesco, £5.50: 5/10
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Spanish grape dominates the spices.
While it’s not the best balanced I’ve ever tasted, I can drink it.
Tesco, £3: 1/10
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This tastes more like vinegar. There is no warmth or tastable spices either.
If I hadn’t been told other-wise, I would think it was sour plum juice.
Aldi Ginger-bread, £3.99: 4/10
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A nice idea, but it doesn’t hit the mark.
Once you get over the ginger hit, it lacks in taste and there’s no fruitiness.
Sainsbury’s, £3.25: 5/10
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Heavy on cloves and I can smell nut-meg.
It’s well-balanced and fruity, but I can tell it has been made from an unripe grape.
Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference, £6: 6/10
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Smells cheap, but you can taste grapes underneath the cinnamon and ginger. A fairly solid drink.
Waitrose, £5.49: 6/10
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It smells like there is a lot of orange, but it suggests it’s orange juice rather than peel melded in.
It’s a bit bitter and short.
Asda, £2.75: 7/10
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A good budget option with notes of clove and cinnamon and better spicing than the others.
But it lacks weight and body.
Asda Extra Special, £4.50: 9/10
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A beautiful nose of red wine, berries and cinnamon.
A beautiful mix of proper wine and spices. Great value.
