London’s Best Mulled Wine Spots: A Festive Guide

Mulled wine, characterized as hot, spiced wine, is a quintessential aroma of Christmastime in London, signaling the festive season. This beloved beverage offers numerous benefits, primarily enhancing the seasonal spirit and providing warmth. Many establishments cultivate a joyful ambiance with elaborate Victorian-style decorations or twinkling fairy lights, making the experience more immersive. Additionally, most locations offer the option to “supercharge” the drink with various spirits like Bacardi Caribbean Spice rum, Dewar’s Scotch, brandy, or whisky, catering to diverse preferences and adding an extra kick. The article highlights that while some mulled wines are traditional, others offer unique twists, like a chilled, fizzy version, which could surprise some palates.

London boasts a diverse array of venues serving this festive drink. Mr Fogg’s Taverns, including locations in Covent Garden and Soho, serve Aeronaut’s Mulled Wine for around £9, with an optional spirit shot. For breathtaking views alongside your drink, The O2 offers mulled wine at its summit, served within a walk-in snow globe, providing stunning panoramas. Along the South Bank, Jimmy Garcia’s Fire & Fromage pop-up provides mulled wine and cider, which can be enjoyed under fairy lights or taken away, also with spirit-boosting options. Quill Wine Bar in Borough Yards is noted for its early start to the mulled wine season, serving it in elegant glassware with a dried orange garnish, suggesting a focus on quality.

A unique offering is the “Run Run Reindeer” cocktail at Miracle, a Christmas pop-up, which redefines mulled wine as a chilled, effervescent aperitif, highly recommended by the author. Finally, London’s festive ice rinks, such as those at the Queen’s House Greenwich, Hampton Court Palace, and SKATE Lounge at Somerset House, provide mulled wine as a post-skate refreshment, also with spirit-boosting options. The article does not explicitly detail “risks” beyond variations in cost and quality, and the potential for a non-traditional “fizzy” version to surprise some palates.

(Source: https://londonist.com/london/christmas-in-london/where-drink-mulled-wine-london)