Mulled Wine, but Chilled

Updated June 10, 2024

Mulled Wine, but Chilled
Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
25 minutes, plus cooling
Rating
5(125)
Comments
Read comments

Warming in all but touch, this drink is ideal for cusp season, when the days can feel like autumn in morning and summer by afternoon. Cognac anchors the drink, fresh lime brightens it, and a simple syrup steeped with ginger, cinnamon, clove and cardamom evokes a classic mulled wine. The simple syrup here makes extra and keeps for a month in the refrigerator. Add it to lemonade, drizzle it over oatmeal or substitute it for standard simple syrup in another cocktail to make it automatically cozy.

Featured in: Seasons Change. Classic Cocktails Do, Too.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 drink

    For the Simple Syrup

    • 1(5- to 6-inch) piece ginger
    • 2cinnamon sticks, lightly crushed
    • 4whole cloves
    • 4whole black peppercorns
    • ¾cup granulated sugar
    • 5whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

    For the Cocktail

    • Ice
    • ounces dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir, Gamay, or Grenache
    • 1ounce Cognac
    • ½ounce sweet vermouth
    • ½ounce fresh lime juice
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)

763 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 169 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 151 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 13 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place a coupe glass in the freezer to chill for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour. (Alternatively, fill the coupe with ice and water, stir for 30 seconds, pour out the ice and water, dry quickly, and pour in the drink into the now-chilled glass.)

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the syrup: Gently run the ginger under water to remove any traces of dirt. If the ginger is thin-skinned, leave the skin on. Otherwise, peel. Use the larger holes on a box grater to grate the ginger, and add to a small saucepan. Place over medium-high heat.

  3. Step 3

    Add 1½ cups water, cinnamon sticks, cloves and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer on medium until the liquid reduces by about half and is very fragrant, about 20 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Add the sugar and cardamom, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove pan from the heat, and set aside to cool completely. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. This makes about 1 cup. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. (You can use this in place of a standard syrup in another cocktail.)

  5. Step 5

    Prepare the cocktail: In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the wine, Cognac, vermouth, ½ ounce mulled simple syrup and lime juice. Shake and strain into the chilled glass.

Ratings

5 out of 5
125 user ratings
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Comments

This syrup seems like a winner, I could see using that in additional cocktails-- perhaps a Lions Tail, in place of the allspice dram. For this particular cocktail I would substitute ordinary brandy for the cognac. Eager to try.

I made this for a solstice dinner and it was a hit. Subbed brandy as suggested. We used the rest of the syrup to dress up some rum chata and egg nog from the store.

Syrup is a winner - prepare for your home to smell fantastic. So-so on the cocktail, was a bit punch-like. Used Gamay. Next time would try reducing the syrup to 1/4 and the citrus to 1/3.

No notes. This is deliciously smooth and complex as it’s written.

This sounds perfect for a holiday party. What would be proportions to make a batch?

Might be one of my favorite cocktails ever. Perfect as is. Even good with a cheap red

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