Tips for Making the Best Mulled Wine

Ah yes, mulled wine season is finally upon us again! There’s nothing like those warm, comforting spices on a chilly day. But how do you make the best mulled wine? 

First, let’s start off with our go-to mulled wine recipe:

Ingredients:

1 bottle Robert Hall cabernet 

1 orange, sliced

8 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

2 star anise

Sugar, honey, or maple syrup to taste

¼ cup brandy

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. 

Cook on medium-high until it reaches a simmer. Do not allow to boil.

Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Strain if desired.

Serve in a mug, using any leftover cloves, cinnamon sticks, anise, or oranges for garnish.

Next, some tips for making the best mulled wine: 

Choose the right wine. 

You want something right in the middle as far as price and quality. A bad wine will be noticeable, but a nice expensive bottle simply won’t. So go for an everyday house wine that you enjoy but that won’t break the bank. 

Choose the right spices and herbs. 

Play around with different combinations and have fun with it, but don’t overthink it! Mulled wine is good with something as simple as some cinnamon sticks and cloves, but can be equally as delicious with some fun herbs like rosemary or time and a concoction of spices. All it takes is some trial and error, and the best part is that you get to drink your trials and errors!

Experiment with other additions. 

Tea. Fruit. Honey. Sugar. Syrups. Liquor. These are all fantastic additions to mulled wine; it’s all about preference and what you have on hand. 

Never let it boil. 

You want your mulled wine to be nice and warm, but never TOO hot. And if it boils, you’ll boil the alcohol out. Keep the temperature low so it slowly warms up and mixes with all of your spices. 

Follow these tips and have fun, and you’re sure to end up with a phenomenal mulled wine. And if you’re looking for more fun fall cocktail recipes, check out our favorites here. 

Happy mulling!