Italian-Style Hot Spiced Wine
Try this Italian-style Hot, Spiced Wine: A warming, festive winter drink recipe.
Try this Italian-style Hot, Spiced Wine: A warming, festive winter drink recipe.
- Carbohydrate 54.6038731755384 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.18025077699699 g
- Fiber 2.68451387853813 g
- Protein 0.399476203052451 g
- Saturated Fat 0.319910033469094 g
- Serving Size 1 1 to 6 serving (57g)
- Sodium 14.2238251603944 mg
- Sugar 51.9193592970003 g
- Trans Fat 0.359850767993799 g
- Calories 215 calories
Step-by-step
- In a non-reactive, heavy pot (an enamel-lined Dutch oven is ideal for this, because it holds heat well to keep your mulled wine warm once it's ready), mix the sugar or honey, citrus zest, orange juice, and spices.
- Heat over medium-high heat until the sugar or honey is dissolved and an aromatic syrup has formed, about 4-5 minutes.
- Then lower the heat to low and add the wine.
- Bring to just a bare simmer and continue over low heat for about 15 minutes or until wine is flavorful.
- Be careful not to let the wine boil, which adversely affects the flavor.
- Ladle through a fine-mesh strainer into mugs or heat-resistant glasses to serve.
- You can garnish each mug with an orange slice or stick of cinnamon, if desired.
- Serve steaming hot.
Building the Aromatic Base
Why does sugar get heated with citrus zest and spices before the wine ever enters the pot? Dry heat and direct contact melt essential oils out of the citrus peel while drawing water out through osmosis. Sugar acts as a solvent for these fat-soluble compounds, capturing volatile aromatics that water alone cannot hold. Using a non-reactive vessel prevents metallic off-flavors from leaching into the acidic citrus juice. Dissolving the sweetener into a concentrated syrup takes four to five minutes over medium-high heat. Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, a compound that releases its woody warmth rapidly when exposed to hot sugar. Cloves contribute eugenol, while nutmeg adds sabinene. Cooking these spices in the initial syrup softens their harsh edges before the liquid cools them down.
Managing Heat and Extraction
Pouring a full bottle of red wine into the pot drops the temperature significantly. Alcohol boils at roughly 173 degrees Fahrenheit, which is lower than water. Letting the mixture reach a rolling boil strips away ethanol and ruins the structural balance of the beverage. Maintain the burner at a bare simmer for fifteen minutes to allow tannins from the wine and spices to marry with the citrus syrup. Watch the liquid surface for rising wisps of steam and tiny bubbles forming at the edges rather than breaking violently in the center. Strain the finished drink through a fine-mesh sieve to catch solid spice particles before pouring into heat-resistant glassware.
