jimbob37, we occasionally enjoy a Mulled Wine so usually have a bottle of Prenzel's Mulled Wine Mixer (
http://prenzel.com/shop/Prenzel+Bar/Mixers/Premium+Mulled+Wine+Mixer-mullpre.html ) on hand - it's available from some supermarkets; however here's a couple of recipes from the former Trade Me Cooks.
"Mulled Wine
Here's what we made the other weekend - 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cups boiling water, 1 cinnamon stick (I used powdered cinnamon - 1 tsp) 6 whole cloves, 4 cups red wine, 1/4 cup brandy (we used bacardi) 1 lemon, thinly sliced. Combine sugar and water and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cinnamon, wine, brandy and lemon. Heat until steamy. This was a crock pot recipe (cook low 3 - 4 hours or high 1 - 2 hrs.) but we just used a pot on the stove. The mixture must not boil. We doubled the recipe and it was a great success. We also made a "brew" using rum - good too!
posted by grandma
MULLED WINE
Another hula dance and regular recipe for the flatties - 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 cinnamon stick, 750ml bottle cheap red wine, 12 whole cloves, orange slices. Place sug, water, cinnamon and cloves in pan, simmer 3 mins, strain the syrup and add the lemon and orange juice, heat well, add wine and heat but do not boil, Serve hot, garnished with slices of orange, serves 6. I can tell you, in my err younger days, we did NOT stuff round with the orange slices lol AND, used to make 6X that recipe in one go!
posted by jenna68"
Hope that helps. :-))
245sam, your recipe sounds a lot like mine. So simple and so yum. I would add that I tend to use a merlot for mulled wine because of its rich, somewhat sweet flavours. In my humble opinion, Shiraz, Cab-Sauv are more savoury and pinot noir is too light, but to each their own.
You can put all your spices in a muslin type bag or, just do what lazy old I do, and throw them all in the saucepan and just strain when you pour. I sometimes include a small grind of black pepper.
Mulled wine is great made in a slow cooker. If you hold off from swigging it down in ten minutes, you can keep it warm over the course of an evening. I might make some tonight. Yum