Mulled Wine Day With Free Form Cabernet Franc

Happy Mulled Wine Day!

I am excited to be working on several projects with the Okanagan Crush Pad this year, the first of which is National Mulled Wine Day.

Mulled Wine Day is celebrated on March 3rd each year. No one seems to quite know why mulled wine is celebrated on this day, but it is.

Mulled wine is a hot, alcoholic beverage made with wine and spices.  The verb ‘mull’ was entered into the dictionary in 1618 and defined as “to heat, sweeten, and flavor (as wine or cider) with spices.”

The first documentation of wine being heated with spices dates back to the Second Century. It is believed that spices were added to preserve the wine and mask any faults or flaws. This spiced beverage has been thought to bolster the immune system and ward-off illness.

Although it may seem like spring is looming on the horizon, Mother Nature has a way of reminding us that it’s still winter. So what better way to warmup during this transitional period, than with a hot cup of mulled wine and some salty snacks!

One of my favourite mulled wine recipes is from wine critic, Carolyn Evans Hammond, and you can find a copy of her delicious recipe here. I paired the mulled wine with a charcuterie board that included pecan and blue cheese shortbread as well as cheese straws made with Parmesan and Gruyère cheese. For this post I made my mulled wine using the 2017 Cabernet Franc from Free Form.

2017 Free Form Cabernet Franc $44.90

Sourced from an organic vineyard in Kaleden, British Columbia, these grapes were destemmed and divided into two clay amphorae and three large oak vessels. The grapes underwent spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts. After eight months of skin contact the wine was pressed off and put in a concrete tank to settle for about two months before bottling. The label for this wine is made using eco-friendly stone paper, which saves precious tree and water resources.

Free Form wines are produced by the Okanagan Crush Pad. The 2017 Free Form Cabernet Franc starts with aromas of cured, smokey meats, followed by sweet strawberries, black cherries, red plums, blackcurrants and herbs. This is a dry, medium bodied wine with high acidity and medium+ tannins. The palate is juicy, offering red cherries, red plums, dried cherries and herbal notes with a medium finish.

References

National Mulled Wine Day – March 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://nationaltoday.com/national-mulled-wine-day/