Description
Warm winter nights welcome Ina Garten’s mulled wine, a rich blend of red wine, citrus, and aromatic spices. Simmering cinnamon sticks, star anise, and orange zest create a comforting embrace you’ll savor from first sip to last.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 (750-ml) bottle of red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 4 cups apple cider
- 4 oranges, peeled (for garnish)
Sweeteners and Flavors:
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 orange, zested and juiced
Spices:
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 star anise
Instructions
- Combine apple cider, red wine, honey, whole cinnamon sticks, freshly grated orange zest, orange juice, whole cloves, and star anise in a generously sized saucepan, creating a fragrant base for the warm beverage.
- Heat the aromatic mixture over medium-high temperature, bringing the liquid to a gentle rolling boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, allowing the spices to steep and infuse their rich flavors for approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
- Carefully strain the mulled wine through a fine-mesh sieve to remove whole spices, ensuring a smooth drinking experience.
- Ladle the warm, spiced liquid into pre-heated ceramic mugs, garnishing each serving with a delicate twist of fresh orange peel to enhance the citrusy aroma and provide an elegant visual presentation.
- Serve immediately while the mulled wine is piping hot, inviting guests to savor the comforting winter beverage that blends sweet, spicy, and citrus notes.
Notes
- Seek out robust, full-bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot to create a rich, complex mulled wine base.
- Control temperature carefully, keeping the liquid just below a simmer to extract maximum flavor without burning delicate spices.
- Experiment with additional aromatics like star anise or cardamom pods to personalize your unique spice blend.
- Prepare ingredients ahead of time, allowing spices to steep longer for deeper, more intense flavor profiles.
- Store leftover mulled wine in a sealed container in the refrigerator, gently reheating when ready to serve for maximum taste preservation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Drinks, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 156.25 kcal
- Sugar: 12.5 g
- Sodium: 4.5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.25 g
- Fiber: 1.25 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg