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Bon Appétit

Mulled Wine

By The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

2.5

(1)

A dutch oven of mulled wine with floating apples cinnamon sticks and tangerines being ladled into cups
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi

This heady mulled wine recipe with citrus, fresh apple cider, and warm spices is festive enough for Christmas or other holiday parties, but easy enough to make on any cold winter evening you want to feel cozy. Any decent red wine like a cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, syrah, grenache will do, bit we recommend a merlot for its softness and fruit-forward flavors. Be sure not to let the mixture boil; the barest of simmers will coax plenty of flavor from the whole spices without cooking off all the alcohol. 

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

20 whole cloves
2 tangerines, clementines, or small oranges
2 750-milliliter bottles Merlot
3 cups fresh apple cider
8 Lady apples (optional)
2 cinnamon sticks plus 8 for garnish (garnish optional)
2 green cardamom pods, cracked
2 cups tawny Port

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Press stem (pointed) end of 10 cloves into each tangerine, piercing through the skin. Place tangerines, wine, cider, Lady apples (if using), 2 cinnamon sticks, and cardamom pods in a large pot. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-low heat; cook gently for 20 minutes. DO AHEAD: Mulled wine can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature. Rewarm gently over medium-low heat before continuing.

    Step 2

    Stir in Port. Divide among glasses; garnish each with a cinnamon stick and a Lady apple, if desired.

TagsCocktailAlcoholBeveragesHot DrinkRed WineWineClementineCitrusFruitCinnamonHerbs & SpicesMake AheadSimmerBon Appétit

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