It just wouldn't be the holidays without the welcoming warm scent of mulled wine wafting through the air. And this simple recipe for the classic tipple is easy, quick, and comforting. So grab yourself a bottle of fruity red wine, along with your favorite seasonal spices and some citrus, and get mulling!
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Ingredients for Mulled Wine
- fruity red wine (choose an affordable bottle)
- cinnamon sticks
- star anise pods
- whole cloves
- mandarin oranges (or any variety of citrus you prefer)
- honey
- brandy
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for Mulled Wine
Cut the mandarins in half, and then stud each half with a clove.
Pour the wine into a heavy pot.
Then add the clove studded orange halves, cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, and honey.
Warm the wine slowly over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is infused with the spices and just beginning to steam. (This should take about 15 to 20 minutes.)
Add the brandy and give the wine another good stir. Taste the mixture for sweetness and spiciness, maybe adding more honey or continuing to mull for another 5 or 10 minutes, as desired.
Ladle into mugs. Garnish with a fresh slice of mandarin, if desired.
Hint: Choose a red wine that is fruity and full-bodied for this recipe. You don't want to use anything too light or too dry when making mulled wine. I recommend a bottle of Grenache, Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, or a blend like the one used here.
Variations
What makes mulled wine such a perfect holiday (and cold weather) tipple is the incredibly welcoming aroma you get wafting through the house from all those warming spices as they infuse the wine. It's also a very versatile drink in the sense that you can add any spices, and in whatever proportion, you prefer. (Though I recommend using only whole spices, rather than ground, for purposes of avoiding any grittiness in the ultimate consistency of your mulled wine.) Here are some other spices that you might consider tossing into the mix...
- cardamom pods
- allspice berries
- crystallized ginger (a small piece)
- vanilla pod
- nutmeg
- bay leaf
Storage
Once cooled, leftover mulled wine can be refrigerated and then later gently reheated on the stove.
Top tip
When it comes to mulling wine, the key is to warm it gently. It's very important to go low and slow with the heat. The wine should never be simmered or boiled, so try not to get carried away with anticipation and then tempted to crank up your stove. What you want to see is steam, rather than bubbles, rising from the wine...and that's also when you will know it is ready!
Related
Looking for more seasonal drink recipes? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Mulled Wine
Equipment
- heavy pot
Ingredients
- 750 ml fruity red wine (choose an affordable bottle)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise pods
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 mandarin oranges, or any variety of citrus you prefer
- about 3 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup brandy
Instructions
- Cut the mandarins in half, and then stud each half with a clove.
- Pour the wine into a heavy pot. Then add the clove studded orange halves, cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, and honey.
- Warm the wine slowly over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is infused with the spices and just beginning to steam. (This should take about 15 to 20 minutes.)
- Add the brandy and give the wine another good stir. Taste the mixture for sweetness and spiciness, maybe adding more honey or continuing to mull for another 5 or 10 minutes, as desired.
- Ladle into mugs. Garnish with a fresh slice of mandarin, if desired.
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