Nutmeg Free Mulled Wine (Glühwein)
Warm, spiced, and deeply aromatic, this mulled wine is exactly what a cold evening calls for. A bottle of dry red wine gets gently heated with cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom, cloves, and fresh citrus rounds, then finished with a splash of brandy or dark rum for a little extra depth. The spice blend here is bold and beautifully layered — and notably, it achieves all of that warmth without a single pinch of nutmeg, which is a common addition in many traditional recipes. That makes this a genuinely safe pour for anyone who needs to avoid that particular spice, whether for sensitivity reasons or simply personal preference. The key is keeping the heat low and patient — you want fragrant steam, not a rolling boil — so the wine stays smooth and the spices have time to fully bloom. A final strain through a fine-mesh sieve means every mug comes out clean, glossy, and ready to sip. Garnish with a fresh orange slice or a cinnamon stick and you've got something that looks as good as it tastes.
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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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