I’ve always been a sucker for a piping hot cup of apple cider with cinnamon at Christmastime. But while my boyfriend and I were wondering around the German Christmas Market in Vancouver last weekend, I had my first cup of mulled wine, and it was something we just had to try to recreate.
It’s simple yet bold. All you need is your favourite red wine (it doesn’t have to be expensive), a splash of brandy, orange slices and mulling spices! We used Bodacious Dark, a Cabernet Sauvignon with hints of chocolate and toasted oak and fig jam for a finish. You can buy mulling spices for both hot apple cider and red wine, or make your own blend using whole spices like star anise, cardamom pods and dried fruit peels that you can steep in coffee filter paper with a bit of string. There’s a wonderful recipe for it over on The Spruce Eats. Although it’s far simpler to buy your mulling spices, you can add this extra step if you’re looking to up your game and impress your guests.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle red wine
- 1 oz brandy
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 teabags mulling spices
- 1 orange
Directions
Empty the bottle of wine into a stainless steel pot, cover and place it on the stove over low heat. Slice your orange thinly next and add it along with the cinnamon sticks and mulling spices, checking to ensure the wine doesn’t start bubbling. You want your drink to be warm, but you don’t want to simmer it, because alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature than water. Keep covered and stir occasionally for at least 15 minutes, although you can keep it going longer. Just before you’re ready to serve, add a splash of brandy to give it a bit of kick, and enjoy! This aromatic infusion pairs nicely with chai tea sugar cookies.