Chef notes
There's nothing that says autumn quite like the scent of spices wafting through the crisp, clean air. Cloves, cinnamon, allspice and anise are practically synonymous with the season, and when they make their way into a drink, it's magic. Pair that with the fact that mulled wine is easy to make and incredibly adaptable, and you've got a home-run holiday cocktail.
Don't have allspice? It's not the end of the world. Try adding in a few peppercorns instead. Not into using refined sugar? Go halfsies with agave syrup, like we did in this recipe. And there's no need to rush out to buy new glassware, though ideally mulled wine is served in a clear glass mug. It also looks great in vintage teacups, and since they're so itsy bitsy, you can justify a second glass.
Cheers to that!
Ingredients
- 1 cardamom pod
- 1 nutmeg pod
- 3 allspice corns, whole
- 3 cloves, whole
- 1 vanilla bean, cut down the center
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise, whole
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1/4 cup refined sugar
- 1/4 cup blue agave syrup
- 1 bottle Grenache
- 1 Sachet or strainer
Preparation
Place the spices in a sachet. (If you don't have one, you can always strain them off through a sieve at the end.) Pour the bottle of wine into a large saucepan and add the sachet, brandy, refined sugar, and agave syrup. Bring to a low boil, then reduce to a quiet simmer. Let the mixture simmer for 5 additional minutes. Strain if you didn't use a sachet, and serve in mugs or teacups. Garnish with an orange peel and a cinnamon stick and serve.
