As the festive season arrives, supermarket shelves are once again stocked with the essential Christmas tipple: pre-mixed mulled wine. With so many options from budget to premium, choosing the right one can be a festive headache. To settle the debate, our team at IndyBest undertook a rigorous blind taste test of the leading offerings from major UK supermarkets.
The Blind Taste Test: How We Found the Best Mulled Wine
We selected bottles from a range of price points to ensure a fair comparison. The contenders included mulled wines from Aldi, Tesco, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, and Sainsbury's. Each bottle was gently warmed according to instructions and then sampled blind by our testers. They judged each on three key criteria: taste, aroma, and appearance.
The goal was simple: to cut through the branding and find which bottle truly delivered the most festive cheer in a glass. The results revealed a clear winner and a very close runner-up.
The Champion: Waitrose's Red Mulled Wine
Emerging victorious from the blind tasting was Waitrose's Red Mulled Wine, priced at just £6. Our panel was immediately impressed by its delicious, Christmassy scent, which promised a well-spiced experience.
The flavour was noted for its subtlety and balance. The blend of cinnamon and clove was harmonious, without any single spice overpowering the others. While slightly on the sweeter side, testers found it incredibly moreish. IndyBest writer Lucy Smith summed it up perfectly, calling it "very drinkable, almost too drinkable."
Drinks expert Emma Henderson highlighted its rounded spices and distinct orange character. "I liked that it's very orangey and it's slightly boozier than some of the others too," she noted, suggesting it had a more robust base than some competitors.
A Worthy Runner-Up: Sainsbury's Taste the Difference
Pushing the winner all the way was Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Mulled Red Wine, priced at £6.25. It secured a strong second place, praised for its full-bodied and complex base wine.
The warming mix of orange, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla evoked the authentic feeling of being at a traditional Christmas market for some testers. Emma Henderson made a key observation, stating, "It might sound like a silly observation, but this mulled wine tasted the most like red wine out of all of the ones I tasted." This comment points to its quality foundation, which shone through the festive spices.
The test, conducted on Wednesday 17 December 2025, provides a timely guide for shoppers looking to impress guests or simply enjoy a comforting cup during the holidays. For those seeking the perfect festive spread, our experts have also compiled guides to the best supermarket wines, champagne, prosecco, and whiskies.
