Mulled Spiced Wine

Italians have an expression: “l’acqua fa male.” Water is bad for you.

Clearly they don’t actually believe this, but they’ll say it to you if you’re not drinking wine with dinner. Italians love peer pressure almost as much as they love their vino.

During winter, as cold weather takes over this otherwise hot-blooded peninsula, wine takes on a new form: Vin Brulé. A French term that literally means “burned wine,” it’s wine cooked in warming spices such as cinnamon and cloves. My Vin Brulé, sweetened only with a touch of raw honey instead of processed sugar, will warm not just your body, but also your heart. Some foods and drinks taste exactly like the inexplicable warmth of long lost love, and this is one of them. It’s a drink that will nurture your spirit after a long year.

And it doesn’t hurt that Italians use Vin Brulé as a remedy for the common cold.

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Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

• 2 oranges 

• 1 lemon

• 1 bottle full-bodied red wine, like Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon

• 1 red apple, cut into rounds vertically, avoiding the seeds

• 4 cloves

• 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks

• 1⁄8 of a whole nutmeg, grated 

• 2 Tablespoons raw honey

Directions

1. Use a sharp knife to cut off the peel of one of the oranges and the lemon, being very careful not to include the white pith. It’s ok if you get a little in there, but too much will make for bitter vin brulé. Set aside.

2. Cut the remaining orange into 4 rounds and place into 4 teacups or heat-proof glasses.

3. Add the wine, orange peel, lemon peel, apple, cloves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and honey into a medium pot, stir in honey, and cook over medium-high heat, uncovered, until it begins to boil.

4. Adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer until the flavors have infused into the wine, about 15 minutes.

5. Taste and add more honey if desired.

6. Pour and serve. Cin cin!