Mulled Wine

Ingredients:​​
  • 1   750mL Bottle of Red Wine (any fruity, full-bodied cheaper wine)
  • 1 Clementine or Orange (optional)
  • 1 Packet of Sugar

Directions
  1. On your stovetop, add the contents of sugar packet and rinds of a clementine or orange (not included and optional) into a saucepan on medium heat. Give the remainder of the orange a squeeze to add in some of the juices as well.  Add in the packet of Mulling Spices. Slowly blend this all together while adding in enough wine to just cover it all.
  2. Let this simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved into the red wine, then bring to a boil for 5-7 minutes.  Making this sugar and wine syrup base is important to infuse the flavors and volatile oils of the spices and citrus into the wine at a high temperature. By heating the wine at such a high temperature some of the alcohol will be burned off and this is the reason that the remainder of the wine is added later and at a lower temperature. 
  3. When your sugar and spice syrup is ready, turn the heat down to low and add the remainder of the bottle of wine. Gently heat the wine and spices until it’s warm throughout and well blended. Strain and pour into mugs or heatproof glasses and garnish with a cinnamon stick to serve. Fresh cranberries or oranges may be added as additional garnish.
 
*Mulled wine can be made in a crockpot as well by making the sugar syrup base beforehand and pouring into the crockpot along with the remainder of wine and kept on low simply to warm.