Description
Warming spices and fruit elevates red wine to a classic comfort beverage for cool winter evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 (750ml) bottles or one 1.5L bottle of dry red wine (can half the recipe with one 750ml bottle, if desired)
- ¼ cup brandy
- ¼ cup dry curacao (such as Pierre Ferrand)
- 1–2 oranges (optional), sliced into rounds (also peeled, if you would like a less-bitter drink)
- 8–16 whole cloves
- 4–6 Allspice Berries
- 2 Cardamom pods (remove shells, use seeds – can heat the seeds over low heat to release aromatics, optional.)
- 2–4 cinnamon sticks (add second two later, if desired)
- 2–4 star anise (add second two later, if desired)
- 2 to 6 tablespoons sugar (demerara, palm), honey, maple syrup, or pomegranate molasses to taste (or your desired sweetener). Start with 2 or so tablespoons and go from there.
- Optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise
Instructions
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Add all ingredients to a saucepan or pot. Heat on medium low until to just below a simmer (super light bubbles – you can use a confection thermometer and keep it just below 172 degrees F).
- After 15 minutes of a near simmer, taste and adjust any spices or sweeteners as you see fit.
- Continue at a near simmer for another 15 minutes. Strain out the solids and serve!
Notes
- You can keep the wine warm for longer periods of time, just be aware that the spice flavor can intensify the longer they steep in the wine. Also be sure to keep the heat below 172 degrees F to avoid cooking off the alcohol in the wine.
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Keep in mind this is all “to taste.” For example, I like clove, so I go heavier in the range on that one. Taste your wine and know what it’s bringing to the table. Does it have a lot of residual sugar? If so, be mindful of the amount of sweetener you use.
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I tend use an inexpensive French wine in a 1.5L bottle – they are usually not over-oaked and have less residual sugar. A young, fruit forward wine is ideal. Try and avoid something that is overly tannic or overly oaked. Good varietals/styles can be (but are not limited to) Zinfandel, Grenache, Merlot, Beaujolais, Beaujolais Nouveau, Malbec, etc. No need to use expensive wine (or expensive brandy)!