Homemade Mulled Wine

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Similar to eggnog, mulled wine for me is a Christmas drink. Warm red wine infused with wonderful spices of cinnamon, cloves, and star-anis along with the freshness of orange and lemon. And of course, the warmth of brandy. The perfect way to warm up on a cold Christmas day. Isn't it?

I have always known mulled wine as a British drink until I grew up. Did you know that mulled wine has so many different names? Vino caliente, glogg, vin brule, bisschopswijn, vin chaud, candola, gluhwein, and a few more. It really is a popular winter drink all around the world.

What is mulled wine?

I believe it was created by the Romans who heated wine to warm their bodies during the cold winter. As the Romans conquered most of Europe they also spread the love for mulled wine everywhere they went. Europeans added herbs, spices, and sweeteners to the heated wine to promote good health and avoid sickness in winter.

In the 1800s, it was called glogg and became associated with Christmas. Every merchant created his own unique blend of glogg. That is why we have so many variations to the flavored wine. There is no wrong recipe, just preferences. Isn't that interesting?

My mom made her flavored red wine with homemade wine. Yup, she made homemade wine with currants, sugar, and yeast. And it took a good 21 days for the first fermentation. I also make wine at home. It's sweet and fruity, similar to a dessert wine. I've shared the recipe on my East Indian Blog - Homemade currant wine. If you like making drinks at home, you must check it out.

About this homemade mulled wine recipe

This is the easiest flavored wine you can make. I know I said that already but it really is. You can add any of the ingredients and skip any that you don't have.

The spices, when combined together, create a wonderful aroma. The house smells heavenly just like making a natural deodorizer. I like making such flavored wine after a busy kitchen day, so all the smell of food is gone and the only scent left is that of my aromatic wine. Sweet with the scent of orange, lemon, cinnamon, and star anise.

I like to let this wine simmer for about 2 hours. And yet, you can simmer for up to 3 hours or just 15 minutes to keep it mild.

Ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)

• Wine - You want a good quality wine that you like to drink, no cooking wines. It does not have to be expensive. You can use a good inexpensive wine from the supermarket as long as it's drinkable. If you wouldn't drink it, don't use it.
• Citrus - I like using both lemon and orange zest. But I do love a little flavor of the orange in mine. So, I add two slices of orange rounds.
• Apple - For me, the apple off-sets the flavor of orange, so while it's still there it's subtle.
• Spices - Cinnamon, cloves, and star-anise are great together. They are all strong flavors on their own, but when combined together they create a wonderfully balanced flavor.
• Sweetener - I like using honey or maple syrup. And yet, you can also use 3 tbsp of white or brown sugar.
• Liqueur - Brandy is my personal favorite. I think it's a winter drink. But you can also use Bourbon, Cognac, Irish whiskey or Cointreau.

Useful tips and tools

• Use a heavy bottom saucepan to cook the wine. You don't want the alcohol in the pan to evaporate. Often, I like to use my enameled cast-iron pan because it does conduct heat evenly.
• If you don't have a heavy bottom saucepan, you can place a heat tamer or heat diffuser underneath the pan to keep the heat low and in control.
• You will need a fine mesh strainer to remove all the small pieces of spices. I like to take them out as soon as I remove the wine from the heat, so the flavors are not too overpowering.
• You want to serve this wine in heatproof glasses or mugs.

Homemade mulled wine recipe (Save/Pin)

• In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine all the ingredients.
• Let it come to an almost boil, and immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer. DO NOT BOIL - you don't want the alcohol to evaporate.
• Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.
• Taste and adjust sweetness. If necessary, add more maple syrup or honey.
• Remove from the heat.
• Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
• Let cool.
• This wine is served warm (in heatproof mugs).
• Use the ingredients in the wine to serve as garnishes.

Homemade Mulled Wine

Author: Veena Azmanov

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 2 mins

Cook Time: 2 hrs

Total Time: 2 hrs 2 mins

Calories: 166kcal

Adjust Servings Here: 8 servings

Description

This is the easiest mulled wine recipe you can make and the perfect way to celebrate winter. The ingredients and very simple and probably already in your pantry. The best thing about this recipe is that it is very versatile and customizable. Omit any of the ingredients you don’t like, or bump the ones you like. The drink is served warm in heatproof mugs.

ADJUST SERVINGS HERE - 8 servings

Ingredients

• 750 ml (3.00 cups) Red wine
• 2 strips Lemon zest
• 2 strips Orange zest
• 2 slices Orange rounds
• 2 slices Apple rounds
• 2 Cinnamon stick
• 2 Star anise
• 4 Cloves
• 2 Cardamoms optional
• 4 tbsp (4 tbsp) Honey or maple syrup
• 120 ml (0.50 cups) Brandy

Instructions

• In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine all the ingredients.
• Let it come to an almost boil, then, immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer. DO NOT BOIL – you don’t want the alcohol to evaporate.
• Let simmer on low for 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.
• Taste and adjust sweetness. If necessary, add more maple syrup or honey.
• Remove from the heat.
• Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
• Let cool.
• Mulled wine is served warm (use heatproof mugs).
• Use the ingredients in the mulled wine to serve as garnishes.

Recipe Notes

 

Featured Recipe below is my Homemade Bailey's Irish Cream another wonderful Christmas drink. 

Equipment

Saucepan (1.5 quarts)

Sieve

Cocktail Glasses

Nutrition Information

Calories: 166kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 159mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

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Frequently asked questions

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