Well, the summer temperatures earlier in the week lulled us into a false sense of security... but spring isn't quite done with us yet, it seems! With the weather going cold again, especially where I am in the Southern Highlands, it's the perfect opportunity to make some mulled wine and sip it by the firepit.
Thankfully, the team at Mulled Beverages reached out recently and sent me a bottle of Shiraz from McWilliam's Wines + some of their awesome spiced tea bags - talk about easy breezy mulled wine! No need to go out and buy all the individual spices... they're already bagged up and ready to go. Fun, fast, and super easy cleanup. Love!
The other great thing is that you don't have to make a whole batch - you can just put one bag in one cup of wine and heat it up in the microwave! Perfect for people living by themselves (like me!) who crave a bit of that mulled goodness.
This time however, I went around to visit my mums, because I know they love getting their firepit going, and knew they'd want to get in on the mulled wine action. I chose to do it on the stovetop because I knew I'd be using the whole bottle, AND it was an awesome excuse to use my cute heart-shaped cast iron pot that I brought back with me all the way from the UK.
Below are the stovetop instructions on how to prep your drink with these spiced bags from Mulled Beverages (scroll down to the bottom for the microwave steps).
Stovetop
Pour your bottle of red wine into a pot (Shiraz is a great option because of its dark red fruits & spice, but you could also use a Merlot or GSM blend)
Add 4 spiced bags into the pot
Cut up an orange and those to the pot too (this is optional, but I love the added citrus zing)
Heat lightly and let it simmer for about 5 mins, but don't let it come to a boil
Stir well to make sure all the flavours infuse
After 5 mins, turn off the heat and let the wine sit for 1-2 mins to let the initial vapours simmer down
Pour into your fave mug or cup, garnish with dried orange slices and enjoy!
Tip #1: Make sure you taste before serving, because you may want to add a bit of sweetness. I chose to add some maple syrup, because I love the maple flavour with these spices, and it doesn't take time to dissolve like granular sugar.
Tip #2: For extra flavour richness, let the spiced bags sit in the wine for an hour or so before heating, so you can really maximise those flavours.
I can honestly say I would 100% buy these babies again. The flavour was amazing, and it's such a convenient idea. Who wouldn't want mulled wine in minutes? So simple. They would make great gifts, too (they're only $16.99 a bag!). You can buy these spiced bags direct from the Mulled Beverages website, or online from Dan Murphy's.
Make sure to check out the reel on my Instagram too - it's good fun!
Also, as promised, here are the microwave instructions...
Microwave
Pour red wine into a microwave-safe mug
Add 1 spiced bag
Heat for 60-90 seconds in the microwave - don't boil it
Stir well to make sure all those flavours infuse
Let it sit for 1-2 minutes so the initial vapours expel
Garnish with orange slices (fresh or dried) and enjoy!
And remember to taste and add something sweet if you need.
Yum!
Connect with Mulled Beverages online:
Instagram: @mulledbeverages
Website: https://www.mulledbeverages.com/
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