Mulled Wine

Before you start

Mulled wine is red wine warmed with citrus, sugar and whole spices, a staple of winter markets across Europe. It is simple to make and easy to ruin, almost always in the same way: by letting it boil. Boiling drives off alcohol and the volatile aromas that make it smell festive, and it pulls bitterness from the clove and citrus pith. The goal is a slow, steaming infusion, never a simmer.

Choose an inexpensive, fruity, soft red with gentle tannins, such as Merlot, Garnacha or a young Zinfandel. Heavily oaked or very tannic wines turn harsh when warmed. A splash of brandy at the end adds depth and restores some warmth lost to the heat, and whole spices keep the drink clear where ground spices would leave it gritty.

Ingredients

• 750 ml (1 bottle) fruity, unoaked dry red wine
• 60 ml (2 oz) brandy — optional
• 1 orange — half thinly sliced, half juiced
• 60 g (about ⅓ cup) sugar or 4 tbsp honey — adjust to taste
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 star anise
• 3 green cardamom pods, cracked — optional
• 3 thin slices fresh ginger — optional

Method

1. Put the sugar, orange juice and about 125 ml (½ cup) of the wine in the saucepan with the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom and ginger. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the liquid steams. This concentrated start extracts the spices without exposing the whole bottle to long heat.
2. Keep it at a bare simmer for 5 minutes, until the syrup is fragrant and slightly reduced.
3. Lower the heat and pour in the rest of the wine and the orange slices. Warm gently until steam rises steadily and the wine is hot, about 60°C to 70°C (140°F to 160°F). It should never bubble.
4. Hold at that temperature for 15 to 20 minutes for the spices to infuse. Taste after 10 minutes; if the clove is already strong, scoop the cloves out.
5. Stir in the brandy just before serving, then taste and add more sugar or honey a spoonful at a time if needed.
6. Ladle into warmed glasses, straining out the spices, and add a fresh orange slice to each. Keep the pot on the lowest heat, or move it to a slow cooker on WARM, while serving.

Tips for success

• Use whole spices only. Ground cinnamon and cloves cloud the wine and leave a muddy sediment in every glass.
• If you have a thermometer, use it. The difference between hot and boiling is easy to miss in a dark liquid.
• Cut the orange slices thin and leave the peel on, but scoop them out after an hour; the pith turns bitter the longer it soaks.

Substitutions

Red wine

Dry white wine with apple slices, honey and a vanilla bean makes a lighter white mulled wine. Very cheap, harsh wine stays harsh; choose one you would drink cool.

Brandy

Dark rum, orange liqueur or ruby port all work; port makes it sweeter and richer, so cut the sugar. Leave the spirit out for a lower-alcohol pot.

Sugar

Honey or maple syrup add their own flavor. Brown sugar gives a toffee note that suits the spices.

Variations

Glögg-style

Add a handful of raisins and blanched almonds to each glass, and use aquavit or vodka in place of brandy.

Slow-cooker mulled wine

Combine everything except the brandy and heat on LOW for 1 to 2 hours, then hold on WARM with the lid on.

Troubleshooting

It tastes bitter

It boiled, steeped too long with cloves, or the orange pith sat in it for hours. Remove the cloves and slices, add a little sugar, and keep the heat lower.

It tastes thin and weak

The spices were old or the infusion was short. Simmer a fresh syrup with new spices and a splash of wine, then stir it into the pot.

It has lost its kick

Alcohol evaporated with too much heat. Keep it below a simmer and add the brandy right at the end.

Storage

Strain leftovers, cool them and refrigerate in a sealed bottle or jar for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove without boiling.

Safety notes

The whole batch contains about 6 to 7 U.S. standard drinks, so each 140 ml glass is roughly 1 standard drink (about 14 g of alcohol). Warming removes only a little alcohol. Serve only to adults of legal drinking age, and do not drink and drive.