The Christmas Markets in Vienna all sell mulled wine or in German glühwein. It's perfect. The weather is cold. The drink is hot and spiced with orange and cinnamon making it taste like the holidays. Moreover, you get to walk around with a mug of hot wine while you're shopping.

Basically, you pay a deposit on the mug. Then when you're done you have the option of refilling the mug, returning the mug for your deposit or keeping the mug. <em>Genius</em>, if you ask me.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Me drinking mulled wine outside!"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="IMG_1123" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6413551353/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6031/6413551353_4400248043_b.jpg" alt="IMG_1123" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

Each of the mulled wines is a little different. It seems like the most popular base is wine but there are a range of different choices from white wine to orange punch to beer punch and a lot of options in between. I mostly stuck to the glühwein made with red wine. I know what I like and really beer punch doesn't sound that tasty. Sure that's probably why I should have tried it but I didn't.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="At a Christmas Market drinking hot wine"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="IMG_1110" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6413523191/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7033/6413523191_8dcbf5cc90_b.jpg" alt="IMG_1110" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

I'm in love with mulled wine.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Mug of glühwein"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="IMG_1309" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6413927399/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6413927399_8dd4f7e999_b.jpg" alt="IMG_1309" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

I am definitely going to try my hand at it. <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/the-cookworks/mulled-wine-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">This recipe from the Food Network</a> looks pretty basic but I have a hunch this is one of those times where basic is better. Or there's <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/332441/mulled-wine" target="_blank">this recipe from Martha Stewart </a>which has a few more ingredients.  And then there is <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/mulled-wine.html" target="_blank">this Williams and Sonoma recipe</a> I found.

Thoughts? Does anyone have a tried and true recipe? One that they love?