Mulled Wine

Sweet Red Wine with Apple Cider, Aromatics, and Spices: The perfect libation for your Holiday Celebrations!

Joe's Mulled Wine

Prep time: less than 10 minutes

Cooking time 30 to 60 minutes

Yields 6 to 8 servings

Gluten/Dairy/Soy Free

Mulled Wine, aka Spiced Wine, is the perfect libation for the Holidays and cold winter months. It is delicious, aromatic, and full of flavor. It warms you from the inside out. It is the Holidays in a glass!

This particular recipe for mulled wine is very easy to make. Put it in the slow cooker and let develop its deep flavors without having to do anything else! All you will need is sweet red wine, apple cider, spices, and fresh fruit. Simple yet so satisfying!

Happy Holidays, folks!

What is the flavor profile?

Semi-sweet with aromatic notes and hints of spices.

What will I need to make this?

Sweet red wine or Burgundy wine, apple cider, brown sugar, star anise, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and oranges. Brandy (optional).

What else will I need?

A cutting board, a knife, measuring cups, and either a slow cooker (crockpot) or a medium sized saucepan with a lid.

Can I make substitutions or additions?

Yes...You can use honey or agave instead of brown sugar.

After simmering for hours, you can add 1 cup of your favorite brandy if you wish.

Any Tips for making the Mulled Wine?

Yes. Make a Bouquet Garni with all the spices and aromatics inside. Once done, just remove and discard it.

What is Mulled Wine?

Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is a beverage usually made with red wine along with various mulling spices and sometimes raisins. It is served hot or warm and is alcoholic, although there are non-alcoholic versions of it. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas. It is served at Christmas markets in Europe.

What are the origins of Mulled Wine?

Wine was first recorded as spiced and heated in Rome during the 2nd century. The Romans travelled across Europe, conquering much of it and trading with the rest. The legions brought wine and viticulture with them up to the Rhine and Danube rivers and to the Scottish border, along with their recipes.

The Forme of Cury, a medieval English cookery book from 1390, which mentioned mulled wine, says: "Pur fait Ypocras ..." grinding together cinnamon, ginger, galangal, cloves, long pepper, nutmeg, marjoram, cardamom, and grains of paradise ("spykenard de Spayn", rosemary may be substituted). This is mixed with red wine and sugar (form and quantity unstated)

Mulled Wine (Serving Suggestion)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups of sweet red wine or burgundy wine

• 4 cups of apple cider

• 1/4 cup of brown sugar

• 4 star anise

• 10 whole cloves

• 4 cinnamon sticks

• the peel of an orange

• 1 orange, sliced

• extra star anise, cloves, and cinnamon sticks for garnishing

• 1 cup of brandy, optional

Method

1. Combine the wine, apple cider, brown sugar, 4 star anise, 10 whole cloves, 4 cinnamon sticks, and the peel of an orange in a large slow cooker (crockpot) or saucepan.

2. Cover and simmer on the lowest setting as possible for 30 to 60minutes. The longer it cooks the more deep the flavor but make sure it doesn’t come to a boil so the alcohol does burn off.

3. Serve hot and garnish with orange slices, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon sticks.

4. You can add 1 cup of brandy (optional) before serving.

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe (PDF) below:

Mulled Wine.pdf

Download PDF • 14.48MB