Calories in Mulled Wine: What You're Really Drinking

Mulled wine is one of the most calorie-dense drinks of the festive season — and one of the most sugar-laden. DrinkWell tested a range of commercially available mulled wines and the results are eye-opening.

Sugar and calories in supermarket mulled wine

A standard 175ml glass of Sainsbury's Mulled Wine contains around 187 kcal and 25g of sugar. That's over 80% of an adult's daily sugar allowance in a single glass.

How to make lower-calorie mulled wine at home

The good news: you can make excellent mulled wine at home using a dry low-calorie red wine as the base, and control exactly what goes in. Use a dry red wine with 0g of sugar as your starting point, add whole spices (cinnamon, cloves, star anise, orange peel), and warm gently. Skip added sugar or orange juice — the warming spices and natural wine character do the work. A glass of homemade mulled wine using El Ninot de Paper Grenache Shiraz comes in at around 90–100 kcal per 175ml, with significantly less sugar than any commercial version.

Our recommended reds for mulled wine

• El Ninot de Paper Grenache Shiraz — 76 kcal per 125ml, 0g sugar, fruity and spice-friendly, £9.99
• Escena Rioja — 90 kcal per 125ml, 0g sugar, Tempranillo, structured, £12.49
• Viña Mariposa Tinto — 88 kcal per 125ml, 0g sugar, bright fruit, £12.49

Shop low calorie red wine

• Full low calorie red wine collection
• Red wine cases — best per-bottle price, free delivery over £99

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