This particular vampire is half-human and doesn't much care for the taste of blood, which is rather unfortunate as he has to drink it to stay alive, although doesn't need as much as the full-blooded (no pun intended!) ones do.
Hence the mulled wine, to take away the taste.
His father is partial to something called 'Bloody Sunrise', which is part-blood and part-brandy. The others generally prefer a suspiciously pink glass of champagne.
CCA