Mulled wine is pretty much Christmas in a mug. Warm, festive spices such as cinnamon, cloves and star anise make this drink a holiday classic. When the cold weather comes a’knocking, nothing is quite as cozy as settling in with a toasty cup of hot, sweetened and spiced wine. The perfect comfort drink for a winter day, our mulled wine recipe can be made in ahead of time and warmed up right before serving. That is, if you can resist drinking the whole pot right after it’s ready.
When choosing the wine, you’ll want to reach for a dry red wine, such as a good Cabernet Sauvignon. Its bold and rich flavors are well enhanced by the addition of traditional spices. We’re quite partial to Cabernet Sauvignon ourselves and feature a fine selection of wines on our website.
Mulled Wine
Yields: 16 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 bottles of dry red wine
- 2 oranges
- 1 lemon
- 1 lime
- 5 cardamom pods
- 7 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 1/2 cup of brandy
- 1 and 1/2 cup of water
- 1 and 1/4 cups of sugar
- Butcher’s Twine
- Cheesecloth
1. Peel large strips of the zest from the oranges, lemon and lime and place into a large pot.
2. Juice the oranges, lemon and lime and add to the pot.
3. Cut out a square of cheesecloth and place the cardamon pods, cloves and star anise inside. Fasten tightly with butcher’s twine and place inside the pot.
4. Add the water, sugar and cinnamon sticks to the pot and bring to a simmer while stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and continue to cook for about 20 minutes or until the mixture has been reduced by one-third.
5. Pour in the red wine and brandy. Bring up the heat to a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the cheesecloth with spices.
6. Ladle the wine into glasses and garnish with fresh cinnamon sticks, star anise and fruit slices such as apples and oranges.
Have you ever had mulled wine before? What are your favorite Christmas recipes?