Mulled wine – heated red wine – is a beverage served around the time when the weather starts to chill and the Christmastime rush begins to rear its ugly head.

In a nutshell, it is the warmer, spicier cousin of sangria.

The beverage dates back to Ancient Greece and was known as Hypocrace, after its inventor the Greek scientist Hippocrates. The drink was also consumed during medieval times because it was considered to be more sanitized than water due to its alcohol.

Mulled wine is made with red wine, sweetened with honey and given a punch with spices such as cloves, ginger and cinnamon. The simmered orange peel in the beverage gives it a nice citrusy touch.

Mulled Wine

1 bottle of red wine (cabernet or merlot work best)

1 orange

8 whole cloves

3 cinnamon sticks

1/3 cup of sugar or honey

1 teaspoon fresh ginger (optional)

Start by adding the contents of one wine bottle into a large pot.

Peel the orange and add the pieces and peel to the pot along with the spices and honey or sugar. Place the pot on the stove and turn it to a low to medium heat for 25 minutes or until the wine starts to steam.

Be careful not to let the wine boil as it will burn the alcohol out of the mixture and turn it into a runny syrup. Stir the mixture occasionally until the honey or sugar is fully incorporated into the wine.

Carefully pour the mixture through a strainer into a heatproof pitcher. Straining the mulled wine will prevent large pieces of orange peel or cinnamon from falling into your mug. Let the mulled wine cool briefly before consuming.

Mulled wine will fill the kitchen with a spicy, citrus aroma. Even if warm wine isn’t your thing, at least the scent is inviting and feels like a hug.

Camille Anglo can be reached at [email protected] and Miguel Razo can be reached at [email protected]