Artificial Flavors Free Mulled Wine (Glühwein)
Warm, spiced, and deeply aromatic, this classic German mulled wine is the kind of drink that makes a cold evening feel genuinely festive. Whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cardamom pods do all the heavy lifting here — no flavor packets, no pre-mixed syrups, just real spices blooming slowly in red wine and a splash of brandy. That matters more than it might seem, because so many store-bought or café versions rely on artificial flavoring concentrates to mimic exactly what you're getting here from scratch. Fresh orange and lemon rounds add a bright citrus note that lifts the whole pot, and a gentle low-heat simmer keeps the alcohol from cooking off too fast while letting every spice fully open up. You control the sweetness by tasting and adjusting sugar as you go, which means the final cup is exactly as you like it — no mystery ingredients, no guesswork. Ladle it through a strainer into mugs and it looks as beautiful as it tastes, especially with a fresh orange slice or cinnamon stick tucked in for the garnish.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (such as merlot, pinot noir, or dornfelder)
- ¼ cup brandy or dark rum
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar, plus more to taste
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds
- 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
- 6 whole cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole star anise
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- ¼ tsp whole black peppercorns (optional)
For serving
- orange slices or cinnamon sticks, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the red wine, brandy, sugar, orange rounds, lemon rounds, cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cardamom pods in a medium saucepan. Add the peppercorns, if using.
- 2
Warm the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar, until steam rises steadily and small bubbles appear around the edges — about 10 minutes. Do not let the wine boil; reduce the heat to low as soon as it approaches a simmer.
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