Walnut Free Mulled Wine (Glühwein)
Few drinks capture the warmth of a cold-weather gathering quite like a steaming mug of spiced red wine. This version layers dry red wine with brandy, fresh citrus rounds, and a fragrant blend of cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and cardamom for a drink that smells incredible before it even hits your lips. The whole spices do all the heavy lifting here — no extracts, no flavor packets, no mystery additives — just clean, recognizable ingredients that you can feel good about. Keeping the heat low and steady is the key move; you want the wine to bloom with spice without boiling off the alcohol or turning bitter. A quick strain at the end means every mug comes out silky smooth, with none of the spent citrus or whole spices getting in the way. Adjust the sugar to your taste as you go, because every bottle of wine is a little different and this recipe is forgiving enough to meet you there. It's the kind of drink that turns a chilly evening into something genuinely festive.
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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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