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Tested
MULL IT OVER

We tested all the supermarket mulled wines from Aldi to Waitrose – and the best cost less than a fiver

IF you still don’t want to put the heating on, warm up with a comforting mug of mulled wine instead.

The festive favourite, also known as gluhwein in Germany, is now on sale in shops – and a bottle can cost you less than three quid at the supermarket.

Drinks expert Joe Wadsack puts mulled wines to the test and scores each out of ten
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Drinks expert Joe Wadsack puts mulled wines to the test and scores each out of tenCredit: Oliver Dixon

But which of them hits the seasonal spot and what bottles are the ones to avoid?

Drinks expert Joe Wadsack puts the spiced tipples to the test and scores each out of ten.

Lidl, £4.99: 8/10

This Lidl version is best for those on a budget, it’s got a tang to it
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This Lidl version is best for those on a budget, it’s got a tang to itCredit: Oliver Dixon

Really nice gluhwein. It’s got a tang to it, followed by really nice notes of clove and cinnamon.

It’s a fantastic budget drink.

READ MORE ON CHRISTMAS

Gluhwein by Felix Solis, Tesco, £5.50: 5/10

It’s not the best balanced I’ve ever tasted
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It’s not the best balanced I’ve ever tastedCredit: Oliver Dixon

Spanish grape dominates the spices.

While it’s not the best balanced I’ve ever tasted, I can drink it.   

Tesco, £3: 1/10

There is no warmth or tastable spices
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There is no warmth or tastable spicesCredit: Oliver Dixon

This tastes more like vinegar. There is no warmth or tastable spices either.

If I hadn’t been told other-wise, I would think it was sour plum juice.        

Aldi Ginger-bread, £3.99: 4/10

It lacks in taste and there’s no fruitiness
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It lacks in taste and there’s no fruitinessCredit: Oliver Dixon

A nice idea, but it doesn’t hit the mark.

Once you get over the ginger hit, it lacks in taste and there’s no fruitiness.  

Sainsbury’s, £3.25: 5/10

It’s well-balanced and fruity
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It’s well-balanced and fruityCredit: Oliver Dixon

Heavy on cloves and I can smell nut-meg.

It’s well-balanced and fruity, but I can tell it has been made from an unripe grape.

Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference, £6: 6/10

You can taste grapes underneath the cinnamon and ginger
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You can taste grapes underneath the cinnamon and gingerCredit: Oliver Dixon

Smells cheap, but you can taste grapes underneath the cinnamon and ginger. A fairly solid drink.      

Waitrose, £5.49: 6/10

It smells like there is a lot of orange
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It smells like there is a lot of orangeCredit: Oliver Dixon

It smells like there is a lot of orange, but it suggests it’s orange juice rather than peel melded in.

It’s a bit bitter and short.         

Asda, £2.75: 7/10

A good budget option with notes of clove and cinnamon
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A good budget option with notes of clove and cinnamonCredit: Oliver Dixon

A good budget option with notes of clove and cinnamon and better spicing than the others.

But it lacks weight and body.  

Read More on The Sun

Read More on The Sun

Asda Extra Special, £4.50: 9/10

A beautiful mix of proper wine and spices
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A beautiful mix of proper wine and spicesCredit: Oliver Dixon

A beautiful nose of red wine, berries and cinnamon.

A beautiful mix of proper wine and spices. Great value.  

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