Chestnut 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. A full bottle of dry red wine gets gently heated with brandy, fresh citrus rounds, and a generous handful of whole spices — cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and cloves — until everything melds into something that smells like a Christmas market in a mug. The key is keeping the heat low and patient; you want steam and fragrance, not a boil that would cook off the alcohol and dull the flavor. Adjusting the sugar to taste at the end means you can dial it from barely sweet to properly warming, depending on your crowd. Every ingredient here is straightforward and naturally free from tree nut concerns, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or worry about hidden additives sneaking into your cup. Strained clean and ladled into mugs with a fresh orange slice or cinnamon stick, it's as beautiful to look at as it is to drink.
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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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