Mulled Wine With Cinnamon And Brandy
Andrea Potischman
Dec 8, 2017
Where has mulled wine been all my life? This is a brilliant solution to a cold winter day and is perfect for the holiday season. Despite my late introduction to mulled wine, this hot fruity beverage has been around since before the 8th century. In the 1800’s, a holiday drink similar to mulled wine gained popularity. It was called Glogg.
Glogg came to be associated with Christmas. And everyone had their special recipe. Although increasingly popular, Glogg (or mulled wine) was not a high-class beverage. Not surprisingly, the tradition of spicing up wine with cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom began at least in part to mask the flavors of poorly stored wines. Thankfully that is an issue we no longer have, but the tradition of drinking warm spiked flavorful wine during the holiday season has continued.
There are numerous ways to make a delicious mulled wine, so use your taste preferences to guide you. My recipe is rather traditional and uses orange and vanilla. Because mulling wine hides the taste of wine a bit, the trick to making your own is not to select a delicate wine such as Pinot Noir. Think big and bold when making your wine selection. Full-bodied red wines such as Malbec or Syrah can maximize the flavor.
If you’re not a red wine drinker, no worries, mulled wine can also be made with white wine—just be sure to opt for an aromatic, flavorful white such as a Muscat or Viognier. For the kiddos, you skip the wine (and booze) and mull a combination of apple and/or grape juice, which is a fun kid-friendly beverage option, especially for big holiday gatherings. For a great mulled grape juice recipe for kids check out this link. If you have never had mulled wine before this is the perfect recipe for you to try, and it makes a great addition to any holiday celebration.
Mulled Wine With Cinnamon And Brandy
Ingredients:
- One bottle (750 ml) red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 orange, peeled and juiced
- 1/4 cup agave
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 whole cinnamon sticks
- 1 cardamom pod
- 1 star anise
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- Orange peel, for garnish (optional)
- Cinnamon sticks for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- Using a medium stockpot, add the wine, brandy, apple cider, orange peel, orange juice, agave, vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pod, star anise and ground cloves. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer for about 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Using a fine strainer, strain the mulled wine and discard the flavoring agents.
- To serve, garnish with fresh orange peel and cinnamon stick if desired.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I made it tonight for an Advent gathering. I have made a lot of mulled wine over the years but this was especially delicious and a definite crowd-pleaser.
What a lovely comment. So nice to hear this. I am thrilled you liked my recipe, it is a favorite of mine. Happy holidays!