On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…Amaretto Mulled Wine.
Eleven pipers piping, oh my! I can’t promise you’ll have real pipers piping, but I can promise you will love this piping hot Amaretto Mulled Wine recipe to keep you warm for outdoor caroling, sleigh rides, and other chilly holiday events!
This wine smells and tastes like Christmas in a mug!
(This post is sponsored by Silk & Spice Wines. Recipe and opinions are my own.)
Amaretto Mulled Wine
If you’ve ever been to Europe during the holidays, especially to one of the many Christmas markets, you are probably familiar with a version of mulled wine. Glühwein (Germany), Vin Chaud (France), and Glögg (Sweden) are popular winter beverages at Christmas festivals and open-air markets. In Poland and Russia, hot wine is spiked with Vodka (grzaniec galicyjski).
The roots of Mulled wine date back to ancient times. Second-century Roman soldiers heated wine to stay warm during frigid winters while ancient Greeks made mulled wine to use wine that did not make the regular harvest. Hot wine became more popular in the Middle Ages as a safer alternative to water (during the Black Plague). It became even more popular as a holiday drink in Victorian England, especially during the reign of King Henry III. Remember the Smoking Bishop from Dicken’s A Christmas Carol? That’s right, it’s hot mulled wine!
Similar to sangria, hot mulled wine is a quintessential holiday cocktail, perfect for warming both body and spirit on chilly winter nights. Its rich blend of red wine, aromatic spices like cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, and a hint of citrus create a festive symphony of flavors that evoke the cozy, nostalgic essence of the season. The fragrant steam rising from a steaming mug of mulled wine fills the air with cheer, making it a comforting choice for gatherings or quiet moments by the fire. Simple to prepare yet endlessly customizable, this classic drink is a versatile addition to holiday traditions, sure to delight guests and hosts alike.
This version of mulled wine has amaretto liqueur, which adds a light flavor but does not take away from the incredible bold flavors of the Silk & Spice Spice Road wine. The mulled wine is enhanced with fruit and mulling spices “stewed” into the wine, and then heated for warm sipping. Amaretto mulled wine is a fantastic way to use your favorite red wine as a hot cocktail for parties or group get-togethers; I make a batch of this in the slow cooker every year for our Christmas or New Year’s Eve parties and it is always a crowd favorite!
Silk & Spice Spice Road
Silk & Spice is a collection of Portuguese wines inspired by famous Portuguese explorers such as Vasco de Gama who discovered the spice route in Asia. They use indigenous grapes grown throughout Portugal in all of their wines, with both red and white in their collection.
According to its website, Spice Road, by Silk & Spice Wines is an intense red wine that highlights the most important spices traded during the Portuguese voyages of exploration. Upon tasting, I found it to be bold but silky smooth, with lush fruits of cherry and plum, and a cinnamon-dark chocolate finish. This wine pairs well with beef, lamb, and hard cheeses.
A Few Notes:
- If you want a softer wine for mulling, use the Silk & Spice Silk Route, a smooth red blend.
- Add spices to taste. If you want more cinnamon flavor, add another cinnamon stick or two. Be careful with the whole clove and star anise, a little goes a long way.
- If you do not want to serve the mulled wine piping hot, turn off the slow cooker about 30 minutes before serving.
- If you do not have honey, substitute it with brown or coconut sugar. Honey is preferred.
- To make this Amaretto Mulled wine into a Swedish Glogg add raisins, figs, and almonds before heating.
Twelve Days of Christmas Cocktails
- First Day of Christmas: Gingered Pear Margarita
- Second Day of Christmas: Spiked Turtle Coffee
- Third Day of Christmas: Holiday French 75 Cocktail
- Fourth Day of Christmas: Raspberry Snowtini Cocktail
- Fifth Day of Christmas: Five Golden Rings Cocktail
- Sixth Day of Christmas: Egg Nog Old Fashioned
- Seventh Day of Christmas: Christmas Swan Cocktail
- Eighth Day of Christmas: Espresso Milk Punch Cocktail
- Ninth Day of Christmas: Mandarin Fig Brandy Cocktail
- Tenth Day of Christmas: Cherry Bomb Cocktail
- Eleventh Day of Christmas: Amaretto Mulled Wine
- Twelfth Day of Christmas: Boozy Frozen Hot Chocolate (Two ways)
