Mulled Wine: More Than Just a Winter Warmer
Written by - Cult Wines Team
As part of our 3-year anniversary edition of the Cult Insider, we’ve written a special feature celebrating one of winter’s most enduring traditions: mulled wine. Far from a simple seasonal drink, its story spans centuries, continents, and cultures. From ancient spiced wines to modern market stalls, this article explores how mulled wine became a global ritual, and why a carefully made pot can be as thoughtful and expressive as any bottle you pour. With history, techniques, variations and a refined recipe, it’s a seasonal piece with real depth.
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News in brief
London’s Pink Fizz that Includes Grapes from Every Borough
Founded in 2009, the Urban Wine Company brings together grapes grown in gardens and allotments across all 32 London boroughs to create a truly metropolitan wine. Each September, community members, from Tower Hamlets to Tooting, harvest their grapes and send them to a commercial winery. The result includes a still and sparkling rosé, a sparkling white, and a red, with the Tooting Sparkling Rosé containing grapes from across the city. With climate change increasing urban yields, co-founder Richard Sharp calls the project “very democratic”, a blend of grape varieties, neighbourhoods, and people, bottled into a uniquely London wine.
Château Rayas’ Emmanuel Reynaud Dies at 61
Emmanuel Reynaud, the reclusive yet revered vigneron behind cult Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate Château Rayas, has died aged 61. Nephew of legendary winemaker Jacques Reynaud, Emmanuel took over in 1997 and upheld the estate’s singular style; elegant, perfumed Grenache made without modern intervention. His meticulous approach elevated consistency and solidified Rayas’ global reputation. Known for his humility and dedication to old vines and biodiversity, Reynaud also oversaw Château de Fonsalette and Château des Tours. His legacy will be continued by his three sons, as tributes pour in from across the Rhône and beyond.
Wine Market Sentiment Improves, Signals Price Recovery is Near
Bid:offer ratios across Liv-ex indices are rising, offering cautious hope for the fine wine market. The Liv-ex 100’s ratio reached 0.70 in November 2025, its highest since April 2023, signalling a possible shift in supply-demand dynamics. Statistical modelling shows that while a 1.0 ratio predicts future stability, the current 0.70 suggests only a modest 0.6% decline over the next two months. Broader index data shows minimal further downside, with Champagne 50 nearing stability. Improved sentiment may signal that price recovery isn’t far behind.
What we’re drinking
Domaine Bonneau du Martray, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2015
Tom Gearing, CEO & Co-Founder - Cult Wines
Corton Charlemagne 2015 from Bonneau du Martray showed itself gently after two hours in a carafe at a cool serving temperature. The nose carried lemon peel, bright zest, a soft waxy lanolin note and a subtle touch of well-judged oak. There was also a faint herbal lift that kept the aromatics fresh.
On the palate, the wine felt light and refined, shaped by ripe yellow fruit that reflected the warmth of the 2015 season. The texture had a quiet roundness yet never crossed into heaviness. Acidity sat in the medium range, giving enough tension without the drive seen in the most classical vintages. The finish tapered a little quickly but remained clean and pure. Bonneau du Martray farms its Corton Charlemagne on the western side of the hill, where higher altitude and limestone-rich soils usually give a naturally racy profile.
In 2015, the warm summer produced fruit with greater richness and slightly softer acidity, so the wine shows its vintage clearly. Fermentation and ageing took place in French oak, with a restrained percentage of new barrels to keep the style focused and mineral.
This cuvée can age for many years, gaining depth and complexity as the structure settles. The 2015 sits a touch below the most electric years, although it offers plenty of charm today and has the balance to develop further with patience.
Available at around £281* per bottle (in bond) on CultX.
*Price as of 26 November 2025 based on 6x75cl.
Our fine wine feature
The Rise of Volcanic Wine
Written by - Sean Wright, Fine Wine Buyer - Cult Wines
Volcanic wines are gaining global attention for their clarity, tension and strong sense of place. Grown in soils shaped by ancient eruptions, these wines often show higher acidity, leaner fruit profiles and a distinctive mineral edge that aligns with today’s shifting tastes.
Regions like Etna and Santorini have become benchmarks, thanks to rising quality, renewed investment and the unique advantage of ungrafted, phylloxera-resistant vines. Their dramatic landscapes and compelling stories have only amplified their appeal.
Explore what defines volcanic wines and why they’re becoming one of the most exciting categories in fine wine today.
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Explore & travel
Frozen Gold: How Icewine Sparked Canadian Wine Tourism
Written by - Stephanie Choi, Client Account Manager - Cult Wines
Discover how Inniskillin transformed Canada’s harsh winters into one of the wine world’s most compelling stories. By perfecting icewine, a rare, intensely sweet wine made from grapes harvested at –8°C, the winery helped turn Niagara into a global tourism destination, complete with winter festivals, immersive vineyard experiences and a growing luxury ecosystem.
The feature also explores how Inniskillin icewine shifted from a regional curiosity to a sought-after collectible.
With tiny yields, strong global demand and proven ageability, it has emerged as a surprising contender in the fine-wine investment space.
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