Vin Brûlé (Italian Mulled Wine)
Why this recipe works
- Layered aroma: Citrus zest, orange slices, cinnamon and cloves infuse the wine with warm spice and fresh fruit notes.
- Balanced sweetness: Caster sugar rounds out the wine without making the drink heavy, while lemon and orange keep the finish lively.
- Ready quickly: A short, gentle heating time is enough to dissolve the sugar and draw flavour from the whole spices.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Serve while steaming: Vin brûlé is best served hot, just after the short infusion, when the citrus and spice aromas are most pronounced.
- Let it infuse briefly: A few minutes off the heat allows the spices to settle into the wine without making the cloves taste harsh.
Ingredient notes
- Choose an unwaxed citrus fruit if possible: Because the zest is infused directly into the wine, unwaxed orange and lemon give a cleaner citrus flavour.
- Avoid the white pith: Wide strips of zest give fragrance without the bitterness that can come from too much pith.
- Adjust the sweetness gently: Taste before serving and add a little extra sweetness only if the wine is particularly tannic or sharp.
Common mistakes
- Do not let the wine boil: Keep the heat low and remove the pan briefly if bubbles gather too quickly; boiling dulls the aroma and drives off alcohol.
- Dissolve the sugar first: Warming the sugar with a splash of wine helps it dissolve evenly before the rest of the bottle is added.
Make-ahead tips
- Make it ahead: Cool the infused wine, refrigerate it in a sealed container and reheat gently when ready to serve.
- Reheat carefully: Warm over low heat until steaming, keeping it below a simmer to preserve the flavour and alcohol.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel 3 wide strips of zest from the orange and 2 from the lemon, avoiding the white pith. Slice the orange into rounds and set aside.
- Put the caster sugar, citrus zests, cinnamon sticks and whole cloves into a saucepan. Add a small splash of the red wine and warm over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the spices smell fragrant.
- Pour in the remaining red wine and add the orange slices. Heat very gently until steaming and just below a simmer, about 10 minutes; do not let it boil.
- Take off the heat and leave to infuse for 3 minutes. Ladle into small heatproof glasses, including an orange slice if you like.
Recipe notes
Tips
- Keep the heat low and watch for tiny bubbles at the edges; if it starts to simmer, take the pan off the heat for a moment to avoid boiling off the alcohol.
- For a cleaner pour, lift out the orange slices, cinnamon sticks and cloves before serving, or ladle carefully to leave the spices behind.
Substitutions
- Replace caster sugar with honey for a rounder sweetness; add it once the wine is hot and off the heat so it dissolves without scorching.
- Replace the orange with an extra lemon for a sharper, more citrus-forward vin brulè.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Cool, then refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 2 days. Reheat very gently in a saucepan over low heat until steaming, without boiling.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 6 glasses
- Total time: 25min (10min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Italian
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