Festive Spiced Mulled Wine

Fresh pressed apple cider, tart pomegranate juice, and Tempranillo pair with mulling spices and fresh fruit to create a fall-inspired cocktail. This mulled wine recipe is perfect for sipping during this autumn and winter season.

This recipe for Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Mulled Wine was originally created in partnership with Llano Estacado Winery.

Hot Mulled Wine Recipe

The change of season and accompanying cooler weather has me thinking about all the delicious and fun seasonal traditions that this time of year brings, and of course some fun, new takes on some of those old fall favorites.

Some of our family’s fall favorites include: football, entertaining friends and family, enjoying time outside. Lately Kevin and I have been going on lots of bike rides. Trying new seasonal recipes, and cozying up for relaxing weekends is definitely on our fall to-do list!

One of my favorite recipes this time of year is this Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider. I thought it would be super fun to create an adult beverage version of that old favorite.

Something perfect for all of our favorite activities and gatherings this time of year, from football game watching this fall to the upcoming holidays with Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations.

Tools Needed to Make Mulled Wine

You’ll need a few kitchen tools to prepare this spiced wine recipe. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before getting started:

• Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons – to measure the whole spices, juices, and sugar.
• Bottle Opener – to open the bottle of wine.
• Large Pot – to warm this cozy drink in if you want to cook it stove top.
• Crock Pot – you can make this spiced wine warm in a crock pot on low heat; once the sugar dissolves and the wine is heated through, reduce to the “keep warm” setting.
• Wooden Spoon – for stirring.
• Ladle – for serving the mulled wine.

Click HERE to save this Simple Mulled Wine Recipe!

Mulled Wine Ingredients

To make this hot mulled wine recipe, you’ll need a few key mulled wine spices, plus a few additional ingredients.

• Pomegranate juice
• Fresh pressed apple cider
• Mulling Spices: Cinnamon sticks, Whole cloves, Star anise, Allspice berries, Ground nutmeg
• Brown sugar
• Llano Estacado Cellar Reserve Tempranillo
• Honeycrisp apple
• Pomegranate arils
• Fresh cranberries

Mulled Wine Garnish Ideas

Dried Orange Slices – Dried orange slices are super easy to make and can be used for a variety of drink garnishes. The color would be so pretty with a glass of this spiced wine.

Sugared Cranberries – You need just two ingredients to make these simple Sugared Cranberries and they’re perfect for putting on cocktail skewers for a drink garnish.

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this spiced wine, scroll to the end of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Mulled Wine

This mulled wine recipe is incredibly easy to make and is great for holiday parties! Here’s how I like to make apple cider mulled wine:

1. Combine the pomegranate juice, apple cider, spices, and nutmeg in a large saucepan.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the remaining ingredients and continue simmering until heated through.
4. Ladle the mulled wine into glasses and garnish with a few fresh cranberries, pomegranate arils, and apple slices.

The above is simply a quick summary of this spiced wine recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Click HERE to save this delicious Mulled Wine Recipe!

Tips for Making This Mulled Wine Recipe

• You’re welcome to adjust the mulled wine spices as you see fit. Either swap in a few of your favorite tried and tested mulled wine spices, or scale the amount of spices you add to this mulled wine recipe to suit your taste.
• I highly recommend using brown sugar in this mulled wine recipe and not granulated sugar. Brown sugar adds a caramel-y flavor to the mulled wine as well as sweetness.
• I recommend a simple fresh apple cider (check the ingredients list to make sure there’s no added sugar in it). Also note that using fresh pressed apple cider that has brown sugar and spices pre-added to it would cause this recipe to be too sweet.
• Only heat it to a low simmer, then reduce the heat to low or warm. You don’t want to boil the alcohol off if you’re serving this as an adult beverage.
• Make sure the sugar has completely dissolved before serving. Otherwise you could end up with some servings that are way too sweet and others that don’t have enough sugar in them.

When to Serve Mulled Wine

I don’t think you can go wrong serving some fun, Spanish-inspired tapas along side this Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Mulled Wine during your next football game!

I also think that this fall-inspired cocktail would be the perfect thing to serve for a large group on Thanksgiving.

In our house, tradition says that Thanksgiving also means football will be playing in the background throughout the day as meal preparations are made, and after the meal is eaten as everyone winds down.

If I were hosting Thanksgiving this year, I would most definitely be serving this Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Mulled Wine for guests to sip on while Thanksgiving Day Football plays in the background. It is the perfect drink to warm up with on a cold day.

Other Occasions:

• serve it for fall happy hour with friends
• enjoy warm mugs of this while spiced wine while decorating for Christmas
• make it a holiday tradition for Christmas parties
• once the holiday season is over, you can still enjoy it for a New Years Eve party.
• …or any other special occasions during cooler months when warm cocktails might sound appealing!

Click HERE to save this Recipe for Spiced Wine!

Mulled Wine FAQs

Got questions about how to make this spiced wine? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Can I Double This Mulled Spiced Wine Recipe?

Absolutely! Hot mulled wine is the perfect, easy to make, big batch cocktail for all of your fall and holiday gatherings.

Spiced wine is incredibly easy to double or triple, depending on your number of guests, and it can easily keep warm in a slow cooker throughout the day.

What’s the Best Wine for Mulled Wine?

I love the depth of flavor that Llano Estacado’s Tempranillo adds to this Mulled Wine.

In general, I think a fruity red wine pairs really well with so many different flavors of the fall and winter season, which is why I chose a red wine to create a fall-inspired cocktail.

You might also like using Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir to make this delicious spiced wine recipe.

How Should I Store Leftover Mulled Spiced Wine?

Leftover spiced wine should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Tip: save your wine bottles and you can funnel it back into them after.

What is the best way to reheat leftover mulled wine?

Gently reheat leftover mulled wine on the stove top or slow cooker on low heat. You don’t want to use too high of heat, otherwise the alcohol content can boil off.

Click HERE to save this Apple Cider Mulled Wine Recipe!

Try this Mulled Wine at Home!

Next time you’re looking for warm drink to enjoy during fall or the holiday season, give this mulled wine a try!

Did you love the hot wine with the warm spices? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this warm drink.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this spiced wine!

More Holiday Drink Recipes:

Christmas Wassail is a classic this time of year. Apple cider, orange juice, and cranberry juice are spiced with  plenty of cinnamon and cloves for a holiday treat.

Get into the holiday spirit by making yourself a Gingerbread Martini! This Christmas martini is made with Baileys and vodka, and it tastes just like gingerbread!  

This Peppermint Mocha Spiked Hot Chocolate can be made with or without alcohol depending on who you’re serving it to. It’s a big hit at parties and can be made in bulk.

Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate is another family favorite that I love making for holiday parties. Make a big batch and keep it in the slow cooker all night to stay warm!

Looking for an easy Thanksgiving or Christmas cocktail recipe? Try this Cranberry Shrub Cocktail. It’s a festive and colorful drink!

When in doubt, make a batch of Candy Cane Hot Cocoa. It’s a crowd pleaser every time and my kids can’t get enough of this stuff.

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What are your favorite fall-inspired cocktails?

I am privileged to have working relationship Llano Estacado Winery on Good Life Eats. I’ve been compensated for my time in creating this recipe for Hot Spiced Wine, but as always – my opinions are my own!