I learned that in Alsace, especially, people make hot wine using white wine. I was immediately drawn to the idea, because I always find hot wine made with red wine too tannic (or else I’d have to find a red wine with very low tannin content).
On the other hand, this allows me to skip cinnamon, which I find pairs better with red than with white rum, and there are days when I simply don't like cinnamon. Yes, I know it's strange, but that's the way it is.
This recipe for spiced wine has no pretensions to being a traditional Alsace recipe— I’d have to go investigate on the ground to confirm that. Moreover, I couldn’t find a reference to an Alsace white wine that I’d feel comfortable putting into a spiced wine. So I went with a sweet base, keeping sugar usage light (but if you're using something slightly drier, add more sugar).
As with the hot wine with red wine (in French) I'm giving you a recipe for 6 people: on one hand because it fills a bottle, it's simpler, and on the other hand It will please Jean Castex !
White mulled wine (6 people)
Ingredients
- 1 bottle of white wine
- 1 tbsp honey
- 4-5 star anise
- 10 cloves
- nutmeg
- 1 orange for its zest (or a clementine for a change)
Equipment
- saucepan
- tablespoon
- cheesecloth
Instructions
- Zest the orange. If using a clementine, stick the cloves into it instead of zesting it.
- Put the zest and all the ingredients in the saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat until the first bubbles appear.
- Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer for a good hour.
- Strain through cheesecloth.
- All that remains is to serve!
- You can garnish with star anise.
