Red wine sweetened with honey and spiced with cinnamon is an easy winter warmer.
Now this was a happy accident.
All well and good.
Elise Bauer
So in this simple mulled wine, we are dialing back the spices a bit.
I’m using a cinnamon stick, a few peppercorns, and maybe a single star anise.
The idea is to enhance the flavors of the wine and the honey, not compete with them.
Mulled Wine Ingredients
Start with a robust red wine, like a zinfandel or a pinot noir.
Use a wine that you would enjoy drinking on its own.
For spices, add a 3-inch cinnamon stick as well as several whole black peppercorns.
From this point, you might improvise a bit.
I like the taste of star anise, so I may add that to the mix.
Feel free to add any spices or fruit that you want.
Heat the wine with a little honey to see if you like the way those flavors work together.
If it isn’t good cold, it’s not going to be any better hot.
If you are unsure about the sweetness level, start with less honey and add more to taste.
Warm until it steams and lightly simmer.
Strain into glass mugs.
Serve with a thin strip of lemon zest and a bit of cinnamon stick.
