Best Wine for Mulled Wine: 8 Bottles That Deliver

Most people making mulled wine reach for the cheapest bottle on the shelf. That’s not the move. Heating wine with whole spices like cinnamon sticks, star anise, clove, and cardamom will amplify whatever’s already in the glass. A sharp, thin red turns sour. A rough, tannic red turns bitter. But a fruit-forward red with soft tannins? It turns into something genuinely worth drinking.

You don’t need expensive wine for mulled wine. The mulling spices do most of the heavy lifting, and the best red wine to use sits comfortably in the $12 to $20 range. You want a wine that’s fruit-forward, full-bodied, and low on tannin. That’s your sweet spot.

These eight bottles all hit it.

1. CVNE Rioja Reserva 2020

Rioja is one of the great wines for mulled wine, and this bottle is the reason why. Tempranillo from Spain has exactly the profile you want: ripe dark fruit, a touch of vanilla bean and oak from barrel ageing, soft tannins, and that warm spices character that plays beautifully with cinnamon and star anise. The CVNE Reserva scored 92 from both James Suckling and Vinous, 91 from Wine Spectator and Robert Parker, and 90 from Decanter. Five critics agreeing at this price is unusual.

This is the best red wine to use if you’re making mulled wine for a dinner party. It holds up to adding spices without losing its character, and still tastes like quality wine in the mug.

2. Ancient Peaks Paso Robles Merlot 2022

Merlot is the classic mulled wine grape, and for good reason. It’s fruit-forward, full-bodied, and low on the kind of grippy tannins that get harsh under heat. This Merlot from Paso Robles is particularly good: the Tasting Panel gave it 94 points, and its ripe plum, red fruit, and soft palate make it ideal for a classic mulled wine recipe.

This Merlot is forgiving. You can push the spice levels: more clove, more anise, a cinnamon stick or two extra. It absorbs all of it without complaining. It’s the bottle to reach for if you’re feeding a crowd.

3. Cline California Old Vine Zinfandel 2024

Zinfandel is an underrated pick for mulled wine. It’s jammy, aromatic, and has a natural spicy finish that doubles down on the warm spices you’re adding. Cline’s Old Vine Zinfandel is grown from old vine stock in California, and the 2024 scored 93 points from James Suckling. At $11.97, it’s the most affordable wine on this list and the one you’d confidently buy two bottles of.

It’s full-bodied with dark berry, black pepper, and allspice notes already baked in. When you add whole cinnamon, clove, and star anise, it doesn’t fight them. It leans in.

4. Shatter Grenache 2022

Grenache (known as Garnacha in Spain) makes a beautiful mulled wine because of its naturally floral notes, red fruit character, and lower tannin. This one from Maury in southern France scored 93 points from James Suckling and brings exactly that aromatic, juicy profile to the mug.

Southern French Grenache has a natural warmth that feels right in a glass of spiced wine. The fruit is ripe without being overly sweet or jammy, and the lower alcohol relative to fuller-bodied reds means the mulled wine stays drinkable across a long evening.

5. Vina Real Crianza 2021

Another Rioja Tempranillo, but at a slightly lower price point with a crisper acid structure that makes it particularly good for making mulled wine with citrus. The 2021 Crianza scored 93 from James Suckling, 91 from Robert Parker, and 91 from Vinous. It’s aged in oak, which adds vanilla and spice character before you’ve added a single mulling spice.

This is the bottle to use in a slow cooker mulled wine. The slow, low heat unlocks the aroma of wine over time, and Tempranillo holds up through that process better than most varietals.

6. Hacienda Lopez de Haro Crianza 2021

The budget Rioja that overperforms. At $14.97 with 90 points from both James Suckling and Wilfred Wong, plus a 4.6-star customer rating from 76 reviews, this is the everyday mulled wine bottle. It’s the kind of bottle that becomes your favorite red for the season: something you buy again and again without flinching at the cost.

Tempranillo here is soft and fruit-forward with enough red fruit and warm spice character to enjoy mulled wine without needing to add sugar. Pair it with a cinnamon stick, a few cloves, whole cinnamon, some star anise, and a strip of orange peel. That’s your classic mulled wine recipe done.

7. J. Lohr Estates Los Osos Merlot 2023

J. Lohr’s Merlot from Paso Robles is one of the most consistent affordable bottles in California. The 2023 scored 92 from the Tasting Panel, 91 from James Suckling, and 90 from Vinous. It’s full-bodied with plum, chocolate, and a soft, rounded palate that stays balanced under heat.

If you’re making mulled wine for people who don’t think they like mulled wine, start here. Mulled wine made with red wine this approachable is hard to argue with, and with a proper spice blend, it turns into a genuine crowd-pleaser that converts people.

8. Louis Jadot Beaujolais 2024

Beaujolais makes the lightest mulled wine on this list. Gamay is the grape: low in tannin, bright strawberry notes and red cherry fruit, and at $12.97 with a 3.8-star customer rating, it’s the most approachable entry point here. Reach for it when full-bodied mulled wine feels like too much.

Think warm, aromatic fruit punch rather than a brooding winter warmer. It makes for an easy-drinking mulled wine with a brightness that keeps the mug refreshing rather than heavy. Beaujolais nouveau is the classic recommendation in this style, but the standard Jadot is a step up in quality and still very affordable.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What type of wine makes the best mulled wine?

Fruit-forward reds with soft tannins. Merlot, Tempranillo, Grenache, and Zinfandel are all excellent choices. They’ve got ripe red and dark fruit character, moderate tannin, and enough body to carry the classic mulling spices without turning bitter. Dry wines with a full bodied profile work better than thin, high-acid reds.

A red blend from Spain or southern France is also a reliable pick. Beaujolais makes a lighter-style mulled wine if that’s your preference. Pinot Noir sits in the middle: more delicate than Zinfandel, but with enough red fruit to hold its own in the mug.

Price-wise, you’re looking at $12 to $20. That’s the sweet spot for wine selection. One bottle gives you four servings, so grab two if people are coming over. Sparkling wine doesn’t work. Both red and white styles are worth knowing about: white mulled wine made with a white wine like Riesling or Viognier, honey, and warm spices is a genuinely good alternative if you want something lighter.

Is Shiraz or Merlot better for mulled wine?

Both work, but Merlot is generally the better choice for mulled wine. Merlot is softer on the palate, lower in tannin, and has a rounder fruit character that absorbs warm spices without competing with them. Both are well-regarded across the wine industry, but Merlot’s softer structure makes it more forgiving under heat. Shiraz works well too, especially if you want a spicier finish and a darker, more full-bodied mulled wine. Australian Shiraz in particular brings a peppery, jammy quality that complements star anise and clove. Try Merlot for a classic mulled wine recipe and Shiraz when you want something with more intensity.

Can you use cheap wine for mulled wine?

Yes, and you should. Mulled wine is a spiced beverage, and the whole spices you add (cinnamon sticks, clove, star anise, cardamom, allspice) will mask the nuance of any expensive wine. Spending more than $20 on wine for mulling makes no sense. A dry wine in the $10 to $20 range gives you enough quality fruit to enjoy mulled wine without wasting a bottle worth savouring on its own. Affordable and fruit-forward is the ideal wine selection here. The same logic applies for any cooking application: see our best wine for cooking guide for picks across braises, sauces, and reductions.

What is the best wine for mulled wine from a slow cooker?

Low heat over a longer time pulls more tannin from the wine than a quick stovetop method. That means a high-tannin red will end up noticeably bitter by the time it’s done. Go soft: Rioja Crianza or a California Merlot are both excellent choices for slow cooker mulled wine. Avoid Cabernet Sauvignon and Chianti. The Vina Real Crianza and Hacienda Lopez de Haro on this list were picked with exactly this method in mind. For more cold-weather wine ideas beyond the mug, see our best wines for Christmas lineup.