Mulled Wine is the best cold-weather cocktail! Grab your crock pot to make this seasonal wine spiced with cloves, allspice, cinnamon & orange!
As soon as the weather cools off in the fall, I dream of Mulled Wine and warm cocktails exclusively. This mulled wine in a crockpot couldn’t be easier!
I make this cocktail every year for Christmas. It simmers in the slow cooker while I spend time with my family, and leave your house smelling like the holidays! This is the cold-weather counterpart to my favorite red sangria wine!
MULLED WINE
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My son had basketball practice tonight, and it was freezing outside. It was nice to come home and make mulled wine for my husband and me to enjoy while we watched a movie! I love date night at home on the couch.
This wine recipe is also great for relaxing by a warm fireplace or your firepit on a chilly night. If you’re having friends over, you can easily double or triple the recipe too.
What is Mulled Wine?
Mulled wine, or spiced wine, is like a fall sangria that’s warm and cozy. It’s made with traditional mulling spices like clove, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and served warm.
This sangria-like wine also usually contains fruit, like raisins, dried apples, or orange rind. I love citrus, so I add orange zest in mine.
Mulled Wine Ingredients
- Red wine
- Port wine
- Cinnamon sticks
- Whole cloves
- Allspice
- Orange zest
- Lemon juice
- Sugar
You can use a ton of combinations for mulling spices. I like these because they mix well and nothing overpowers another! If you’re looking for a wow factor, slice the orange thinly and add them like you would for sangria.
You can also use mulled wine spices to make warm mulled apple cider for the kids. It’s delicious!
How to Make Mulled Wine
I prefer to make mine in a crockpot because I can leave it alone for hours while it fills my house with the smell of the holidays!
- For the mulled wine crockpot version, combine all your ingredients and set your crockpot on low until it’s steaming. Be sure to turn the crockpot to warm or off before it comes to a boil! This will reduce the wine slightly and no one wants that.
- Want to make this mulled wine recipe on the stovetop? No problem! Whip out your dutch oven or any large pot and combine all your ingredients in it. Keep your stove on low and let the wine mixture warm but not boil.
(If it starts to simmer, reduce the heat on your stove.)
When serving, make sure to pour the hot wine through a strainer to keep the spices out of the final drinks. I like to put the whole batch in a pitcher, spices and all, and use a small strainer when pouring. This gives it a beautiful presentation but keeps little floaty bits out of your guests’ glasses!
Then I add a few orange slices for garnish, and maybe even a cinnamon stick and star anise.
Best Wine to Use for Mulled Wine
Mulled wine is a tasty warm cocktail, but the kind of wine you use makes a difference!
I usually go for a medium-priced bottle when making wine cocktails. It’s a little higher quality than the cheap stuff but there’s no need to go top shelf for this recipe.
The best reds for mulled wine are dry, full-bodied, and a little fruity. Try a merlot, cabernet sauvignon, malbec, or syrah. Delicate flavored red wines like pinot noir don’t stand up well to the mulling spices and you lose the wine taste.
More Amazing Holiday Cocktail Recipes
- Warm Caramel Apple Cider Cocktail
- Crockpot Cranberry Apple Cider
- Warm Pumpkin Spice Cocktail
- Apple Whiskey Sour
- Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail
- More DRINKS recipes…
Tools used to make this Mulled Wine recipe
Crockpot: This Crockpot is a lifesaver in the kitchen! It’s perfect for cooking a roast or soup all day while you’re away or whipping up easy appetizers and cocktails.
Strainer: From rinsing rice to washing veggies, these strainers are always in use in my kitchen. I love the long handle because it sits easily over a mixing bowl for hands-free use!
*This post originally posted on 12/27/2012.
Ingredients
- 750 mL red wine
- 2 ounces port wine
- 2 cinnamon sticks plus more for garnish
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 whole allspice
- 1 orange zested
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Orange slices for garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
- Turn to LOW and steep until wine is steaming but not boiling, about 1 hour.
- Pour wine through a strainer into glasses.
- Garnish with orange slices and a cinnamon stick, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Beth says
this looks yummy:) I’m pinning…does it matter what kind of red wine you use? and I’ve never had port before, what does it do to the taste if you leave it out?
Stacey says
I used a Red Moscato because I like it sweet, but I am sure different red wines would be great. You could try Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. I only used a little bit of Port, so I don’t think the flavor would change too much without it.