Mulled wine, known by many names across the world, can be a great drink to help you keep warm in colder months.
There are dozens of ways to make mulled wine, with recipes from Egypt to Denmark. Sources show that humans have been making mulled wine for over 2,000 years, with the first records of mulled wine dating back to the year 20 A.D.
While there are a variety of options when it comes to mulled wine, this drink is surprisingly easy to make. Read on for our take on this classic winter beverage.
For the Wine With Our Family mulled wine recipe, you’ll only need four ingredients:
1. A bottle of red wine – some recipes call for a specific varietal, but we find pretty much whatever you have on hand will do
2. 1/3 cup of brandy
3. 1/3 cup of orange juice
4. Mulling spices – for this recipe we used two mulling spice packets from juice brand R.W. Knudsen. Each packet includes organic cinnamon, cloves, ginger root, orange peel, and lemon peel in a tea bag.
Other brands offer mulling spice cartons, kits, and packets, with some containing allspice, star anise, cardamom, or peppercorn.
You can also make your own mulling spices, but if you choose this route, you’ll need to strain your mulled wine with a cheesecloth. We enjoy the convenience of the tea bags, as they save time and can help you easily portion your spices. Ultimately, whether you use fresh versions or a preset mix comes down to personal preference.
How to Make the Wine With Our Family Mulled Wine Recipe
The key to mulled wine is low and slow. If you leave the wine on high heat, you can actually burn off the alcohol, or even cause a small fire.
To start, add all four of your ingredients to a large saucepan on the stove. Some recipes call for added sugar, honey, or maple syrup, but we find that the orange juice usually adds enough sweetness as is.
Heat the mixture on medium high. As soon as you begin to see bubbling, reduce heat to low and cover. Allow the mixture to simmer for at least 15 minutes before serving. If you start seeing bubbles even while on low, turn off heat completely.
When you’re ready to serve, simply remove the mulling spice packets and ladle wine into heatproof mugs. Be careful, as the wine will be hot!
With the lid on, the wine should stay warm for several hours, so this is also a great recipe you can make ahead of time.
We hope you enjoy the Wine With Our Family mulled wine recipe! Have another favorite winter drink? Let us know at info@winewithourfamily.com.
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