Make Mulled Wine for the Holidays
Mulled wine has a long history throughout Europe, with the Greeks and the Romans turning to spices and citrus to keep turned wine palatable. Through the years, mulled wine’s popularity rose and fell, until it became a winter staple in Victorian England. It even became associated with Christmas through its appearance in the Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol”. Everyone seems to have their own recipe, but they’re all fairly close. Here’s a simple and classic version for you to try if you haven’t got your own.
A few things to note:
Use whole spices—not ground. Whole spices allow the flavors of the clove, cinnamon and anise to infuse the wine with their warmth without making the wine powdery or thickening it, as ground spices might.
Make sure your spices are fresh. Whole spices last longer than ground and are usually good for 3-4 years after purchase. If you think yours might be older than that, toss them and get fresh.
The longer the wine simmers, the more spiced your mulled wine will become. Don’t let this simmer to death—once you’ve hit 30 minutes, cover the mulled wine to keep it warm, but turn the heat off.
What Wine is Best for Mulled Wine?
Because mulled wine is simmered for about half an hour, you will lose a bit of alcohol, so use red wines that are naturally a bit higher in alcohol. You don’t need to use an expensive wine, but do use something that tastes good to you on its own—you can’t make delicious mulled wine with bad wine. Here are a few varietals that we think make the best mulled wine :
Zinfandel : often bursting with fruit and jammy flavors, wine made from the Zinfandel grape are a great fit for mulled wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon : a big, juicy, high alcohol wine, Cab is another winning choice.
Syrah : Our favorite red wine for mulled wine just might be Syrah. Silky, rich and just a bit tannic, with dark fruit-and-spice notes.
You’ll Need
1 Bottle red wine
2 Oranges
3 Cinnamon sticks
5 Star anise
10 Whole cloves
3/4 cup Brown sugar (you can change amount based on preference but don’t skip altogether)
Place all ingredients except the oranges into a medium sized pot.
Using a sharp knife or peeler, peel half of one orange. Avoid peeling as much pith (white part) as possible, as it has a bitter taste.
Juice the oranges and add to the pot along with the orange peel.
Over medium heat, warm the mixture until just steaming. Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Heat for 30 minutes to let the spices infuse.
Strain the wine and serve into mugs or other heat-proof cups.
