When the weather begins to drop below 40 degrees all I want to drink are warm beverages. I begin drinking more tea than water. I enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate for dessert now and then, and I begin making batches of Spiced Wine to enjoy in the evenings.
Imagine curling up underneath a blanket while sipping at a glass of warm wine laced with honey, cinnamon, anise, and spicy cloves. Every sip warms you from the inside out.
Spiced wine is like winter’s version of sangria! So, if you adore a refreshing glass of sangria during the warm summer months, you will thoroughly enjoy this during the cold months.
If you are a wine lover, I suggest making sure that you have friends to share this beverage with. Otherwise you may end up drinking the entire batch by yourself. You may think that’s a good idea at the time but you will regret it the next morning. Headaches aren’t much fun.
Just sayin’.
On the other hand, if you have a huge crowd to share this recipe with, I suggest you double this recipe. That way no one is fighting over glasses.
Sharing is caring.
All that’s required is some wine, orange slices, some spices, honey, brandy-just because-and some pomegranate juice stirred over a low heat to infuse all the flavors into the wine. That’s it; in just 25 minutes you can enjoy a soul-warming glass of spiced wine.
A fire crackling in the fireplace is highly recommended, but not required.
Spiced Wine
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 2 to 4 1x
- Category: Beverage, Cocktail
- Cuisine: Spiced Wine
Description
Spiced wine is the perfect drink to warm you up during the winter months. If you like sangria in the summer, you will love this spiced wine in the winter.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle (750 ML) dry to semi-dry red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 1/4 cup brandy (optional)
- 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
- 1 tablespoon honey (or more depending on desired sweetness)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 to 2 star anise
- 1 large orange, sliced into rounds (plus more for garnish)
Instructions
- To a medium-sized sauce pan add the wine, brandy, pomegranate juice, and honey. Heat over low heat, and stir to combine the honey.
- Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and orange slices. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes and turn the heat to low. Allow to steep on low heat for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, strain through a sieve to remove the oranges and spices. Serve warm and garnish with fresh orange slices, if desired.
Leave a Reply