Mulled Wine The Best Spiced Wine Wellplated Com

Mulled wine is popular throughout Europe, especially at Christmas, and I was hooked from the first sip. While I can’t state authoritatively that this is the most traditional mulled wine recipe (there seem to be as many variations of mulled wine as there are European cafés in which to sip them), I’ve made enough batches over the years to state with confidence that this is the best mulled wine recipe.

This spiced wine is piping hot.It smells of warm holiday spices, like cinnamon and cloves. It tastes of the childhood nights my sisters and I spent singing unsolicited Christmas carols to our neighbors and convincing my dad to light our wood-burning fireplace: cozy, welcome, and somehow familiar (I feel the same way when it comes to Crockpot Hot Chocolate).

What is Mulled Wine?

A traditional mulled wine recipe consists of wine (usually red) that is heated with a mix of whole warming spices and other optional ingredients like apple cider, citrus, and brandy.Spiced wine tastes like a big, fruity red wine crossed with a spicy batch of apple cider, with a hit of spirit and a sprinkle of holiday magic. It’s wonderful.

How to Make Mulled Wine

I make a batch of homemade spiced wine every season and have been tweaking the recipe over the years to have just the right balance of spice, sweetness, and warmth. This recipe is my absolute favorite version. If you’re hosting a holiday gathering, this mulled wine recipe can be made in big batches in the slow cooker for a crowd, or you can quickly whip up a batch on your stovetop.

The Ingredients

Red Wine. A dry and richly flavored red wine is perfect for this recipe (save a splash for these Red Wine Truffles too).

Apple Cider. Where most spiced wine recipes use sugar, I love using apple cider instead. It gives the hot wine a seasonal flavor that tastes just right for this time of year. (If you love cider, try this Apple Cider Cocktail too!)

Honey. A touch of sweetness.Orange. A key to making the best spiced wine (and Brandy Old Fashioned) is balancing different notes of complementary flavors, and the orange juice and orange slices help do just that.

Spices. I use cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, and star anise for my classic mulled wine spices. Even if you don’t love anise (I’m not usually a fan myself), the flavor here is subtle and gives this spiced wine an extra note of flavor that you don’t want to miss.

Brandy. The final edge this spiced wine needs to reach its peak.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Mulled wine is best enjoyed the day that it is made, but you can refrigerate it for up to 1 day. Let it cool completely, pour it into an airtight storage container and refrigerate.To Reheat. Gently rewarm mulled wine in a large pot on the stovetop over low heat, or pour leftovers into your slow cooker and reheat on LOW until warm. If you choose to reheat your leftover refrigerated mulled wine, be aware that the flavors may not be as vibrant as they are when it’s freshly made.To Freeze. You can freeze mulled wine, then blend it later to turn it into sorbet. First, you will need to cook off all the alcohol. Bring your mulled wine to a boil, and keep it on a rolling boil for around 5 to 6 minutes, so the mixture becomes syrupy, and the alcohol burns off. Let the wine cool completely, then carefully pour the leftovers into the cavities of an ice cube tray and place them in the freezer. Pop the cubes into a food processor with full-fat yogurt, then blend. You also can freeze the wine without cooking off the alcohol; it won’t freeze hard but can be used to make slushies.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Dutch Oven. A deep, wide-rimmed Dutch oven is the perfect vessel for warming mulled wine on the stovetop.Programmable Slow Cooker. This one switches to “keep warm” once the cooking time is done. For crockpot mulled wine, I set it to low or keep warm, depending on the wine’s temperature.Ladle. The easiest way to serve your mulled wine.

Every sip of mulled wine (and French Hot Chocolate) makes me want to take a sleigh ride on a starlit night and then warm myself beside a fire in a quaint European café.

Bottled spiced wine has a tendency to be overly sweet, and its flavor is artificially spiced and flat.Homemade mulled wine is so easy to make yourself; there’s no need to buy it premade.

Note: Apple cider is NOT the same thing as apple cider vinegar. Do not mistake these two ingredients, as the results will be very disappointing.

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Mulled Wine Video

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