A Pot Of Mulled Wine Is The Best Beverage For Any Winter Holiday Party

Whenever you're throwing a festive autumn or winter party, you'll want to go above and beyond typical holiday party appetizers. Fortunately, nothing says festive like a cozy mug of mulled wine. Redolent with wintery spices like clove, star anise, and cinnamon, this festive beverage is the perfect way to greet your guests at your next holiday celebration. Mulled wine is easy to prepare, and it looks effortlessly fancy in a nice glass mug garnished with an orange slice or perhaps a stick of cinnamon.

Not only is mulled wine a delicious drink to sip around a fire, but it'll make your house smell like a holiday dream. Simply leave it on low heat, and it'll provide an aromatic ambiance the whole evening, all while looking gorgeous in its pot with its whole spices and bobbing fresh orange slices beckoning guests into the kitchen — the perfect bait if you want to wrangle a helping hand. If you haven't yet availed yourself of this drink's joys, take this as your sign to start a new holiday tradition.

As with so many things, we have the Romans to thank for spiced wine. They drank mulled wine because they believed it staved off illness, but likely also because it was simply delicious. Mulled wine remained a popular drink in Europe for centuries but eventually lost favor — except in Scandinavia, where it practically became a cultural staple. The Swedes gave the world glögg, which turned the beverage into a spiced cognac drink with dried currants and almonds; this is probably most closely related to what we know today as mulled wine. By the late 19th century, glögg was inextricably tied to Christmas, and new regional variations spawned all over the world.

Today, people enjoy mulled wine in many forms. The kind most people know is made with red wine and sometimes a bit of brandy. But like all tried-and-true recipes, there are plenty of variations to enjoy. White mulled wine with elderflower liqueur is a nice, floral alternative if you don't love the red stuff. You can even mull a rosé with grapefruit and ginger instead of oranges, adding a little crème de cassis for a spirited blackcurrant twist. Mulled drinks can — and should — be enjoyed by all, even those who either aren't old enough to drink or simply choose not to. For these folks, try a non-alcoholic recipe that uses a mix of cranberry and apple juice in place of wine so that all your guests can enjoy the festivities.

If you're sticking with the traditional red wine version of this recipe, look for a heavy red. Sweeter, heavier red wines that normally aren't very fun to drink on their own can actually be perfect candidates for mulling. Consider using Merlot for a velvety, dark mulled wine, or a Grenache for a hint of citrus and tartness. If you're making a large batch, don't be afraid to use inexpensive, oversized bottles (or boxes). For instance, large quantities of Zinfandel can be acquired for cheap, and nobody will know a thing because you're going to dress it up with all kinds of fragrant, fruity holiday cheer.

One of the best things about a mulled wine recipe is that it can be assembled and left alone. If you have a slow cooker, simply put all the ingredients in the pot and, once you bring it up to temperature, leave it on a low setting. Don't let your mulled wine boil, as this will not only alter the flavor but also cook off the alcohol. When it's time to serve, simply ladle mulled wine into each mug and garnish with orange halves, star anise, and/or cinnamon sticks to play up the holiday aesthetic.