Fresh pressed apple cider, tart pomegranate juice, and Tempranillo pair with mulling spices and fresh fruit to create a fall-inspired cocktail. This mulled wine recipe is perfect for sipping during this autumn and winter season.
This recipe for Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Mulled Wine was originally created in partnership with Llano Estacado Winery.
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Hot Mulled Wine Recipe
The change of season and accompanying cooler weather has me thinking about all the delicious and fun seasonal traditions that this time of year brings, and of course some fun, new takes on some of those old fall favorites.
Some of our family’s fall favorites include: football, entertaining friends and family, enjoying time outside. Lately Kevin and I have been going on lots of bike rides. Trying new seasonal recipes, and cozying up for relaxing weekends is definitely on our fall to-do list!
One of my favorite recipes this time of year is this Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider. I thought it would be super fun to create an adult beverage version of that old favorite. Something perfect for all of our favorite activities and gatherings this time of year, from football game watching this fall to the upcoming holidays with Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations.
This time of year we watch a lot of football in our house between Kevin and Logan. I’ll often spend my weekend watching the games, too.
Over the past few years I’ve learned that while I’m not a crazy football fan, I do enjoy hanging out and watching the game, and especially enjoy the camaraderie and fun times that occur when we have a few people over to hang out with during the game.
Good food and drinks are always a must for us, whether we’re watching the game just as our family or having friends over. The guys are always good with a beer and some munchies to enjoy during the game, but often the women in the group will want something different to sip on.
Inspired by my Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider and the notes on the bottle stating that the 2015 Cellar Reserve Tempranillo exhibits the spice aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg, I decided to make this Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Mulled Wine recipe.
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The Winemaker Notes describe this wine as possessing a rich bouquet of red berries, plums…full and rich, with dark fruit flavors, and has a lengthy finish. If you’re serving it with a meal, they recommend pairing it with your favorite cut of meat, wild game, or Spanish tapas.
I don’t think you can go wrong serving some fun, Spanish-inspired tapas along side this Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Mulled Wine during your next football game! The 2015 Cellar Reserve Tempranillo was definitely the perfect start to a fall-inspired cocktail that would be perfect for sipping while watching football this season.
I also think that this fall-inspired cocktail would be the perfect thing to serve for a large group on Thanksgiving. In our house, tradition says that Thanksgiving also means football will be playing in the background throughout the day as meal preparations are made, and after the meal is eaten as everyone winds down.
Kevin and I will actually be without kids this year for Thanksgiving, so we’ll be heading up to Alaska (a first for me!). If I were hosting Thanksgiving again, I would most definitely be serving this Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Mulled Wine for guests to sip on while Thanksgiving Day Football plays in the background. It is the perfect drink to warm up with on a cold day.
About Llano Estacado Winery
Wineries aren’t something that I know a ton about, so I was so interested and surprised to learn that Llano Estacado Winery is located in Texas. I lived most of my younger years (kindergarten through high school) growing up in Texas and not being clued into the wine world for a large part of that time. I had no idea that Texas was known for wine.
The winery, located in Lubbock, produces about 50 different varietals of wine and is the largest and best-selling Premium Winery in Texas. Pretty cool if you ask me. If you aren’t located near Lubbock, you can purchase Llano Estacado’s wines at select retailers nationwide, or simply purchase online directly from Llano Estacado Winery.
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Mulled Wine Ingredients
To make this hot mulled wine recipe, you’ll need a few key mulled wine spices, plus a few additional ingredients.
- Pomegranate juice
- Fresh pressed apple cider
- Cinnamon sticks
- Whole cloves
- Star anise
- Allspice berries
- Ground nutmeg
- Brown sugar
- Llano Estacado Cellar Reserve Tempranillo
- Honeycrisp apple
- Pomegranate arils
- Fresh cranberries
How to Make Mulled Wine
This mulled wine recipe is incredibly easy to make and is great for holiday parties! Here’s how I like to make apple cider mulled wine:
- Combine the pomegranate juice, apple cider, spices, and nutmeg in a large saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and continue simmering until heated through.
- Ladle the mulled wine into glasses and garnish with a few fresh cranberries, pomegranate arils, and apple slices.
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Can I Double This Recipe?
Absolutely! Hot mulled wine is the perfect, easy to make, big batch cocktail for a football party at home on a fall day. It is incredibly easy to double or triple, depending on your number of guests, and it can easily keep warm in a slow cooker throughout the day.
What’s the Best Wine for Mulled Wine?
I love the depth of flavor that Llano Estacado’s 2015 Cellar Reserve Tempranillo adds to this Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Mulled Wine. It has such a more developed flavor profile thanks to the addition of the wine.
In general, I think red wines pair really well with so many different flavors of the fall and winter season, which is why I chose a red wine to create a fall-inspired cocktail.
Tips for Making This Mulled Wine Recipe
You’re welcome to adjust the mulled wine spices as you see fit. Either swap in a few of your favorite tried and tested mulled wine spices, or scale the amount of spices you add to this mulled wine recipe to suit your taste.
I highly recommend using brown sugar in this mulled wine recipe and not granulated sugar. Brown sugar adds a caramel-y flavor to the mulled wine as well as sweetness.
Also note that using fresh pressed apple cider that has brown sugar and spices pre-added to it would cause this recipe to be too sweet. I recommend a simple fresh pressed apple cider (check the ingredients list to make sure there’s no added sugar in it).
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More Holiday Drink Recipes:
Christmas Wassail is a classic this time of year. Apple cider, orange juice, and cranberry juice are spiced with plenty of cinnamon and cloves for a holiday treat.
Get into the holiday spirit by making yourself a Gingerbread Martini! This Christmas martini is made with Baileys and vodka, and it tastes just like gingerbread!
This Peppermint Mocha Spiked Hot Chocolate can be made with or without alcohol depending on who you’re serving it to. It’s a big hit at parties and can be made in bulk.
Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate is another family favorite that I love making for holiday parties. Make a big batch and keep it in the slow cooker all night to stay warm!
Looking for an easy Thanksgiving or Christmas cocktail recipe? Try this Cranberry Shrub Cocktail. It’s a festive and colorful drink!
When in doubt, make a batch of Candy Cane Hot Cocoa. It’s a crowd pleaser every time and my kids can’t get enough of this stuff.
What are your favorite fall-inspired recipes?
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Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Mulled Wine
Fresh pressed apple cider, tart pomegranate juice, and Tempranillo pair with mulling spices and fresh fruit to create a fall-inspired cocktail, perfect for sipping during this autumn and winter season.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup Pomegranate Juice
- 1 1/2 cup Fresh Pressed Apple Cider*
- 4 Cinnamon Sticks
- 8 Whole Cloves
- 2 Star Anise
- 3 Allspice Berries
- Pinch Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 - 750 ml bottle Llano Estacado Cellar Reserve Tempranillo
- 1 large sliced Honeycrisp Apple, plus extra for garnishing glasses
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate Arils, plus extra for garnishing glasses
- 1/2 cup Fresh Cranberries, plus extra for garnishing glasses
Instructions
- In an 8 quart saucepan, combine the pomegranate juice, fresh pressed apple cider, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise, allspice berries, nutmeg, and brown sugar.
- Bring the juice mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Then, add the Llano Estacado Cellar Reserve Tempranillo to the juice mixture along with the apples, pomegranate, and cranberries and heat through just until the mixture is hot through.
- Reduce heat to keep warm over low heat.
- In each glass, add a few fresh cranberries, pomegranate arils, and apple slices.
- Then, ladle the Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Mulled Wine over top and serve.
Notes
Using fresh pressed apple cider that has brown sugar and spices pre-added to it would cause this recipe to be too sweet, so I recommend a simple fresh pressed apple cider.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 10 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 138Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 10mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 2gSugar 17gProtein 1g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
I am privileged to have working relationship Llano Estacado Winery on Good Life Eats. I’ve been compensated for my time in creating this recipe for Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Mulled Wine, but as always – my opinions are my own!
Tag @goodlifeeats and include the hashtag #goodlifeeatsrecipes so I can see what you’re cooking up in YOUR kitchen!
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Tim
Tuesday 14th of November 2017
I like casseroles because the weather allows us to finally bake without heating up an already hot house. I also like sweet potato dishes because this is a time of year when they are cheap and available.
Kristina Osborne
Wednesday 8th of November 2017
I love when a drink also serves as a snack!! :)
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles
Tuesday 7th of November 2017
What a super lovely beverage for this time of year. I know I'll love this!
Julia
Tuesday 7th of November 2017
Saving this for the holidays!! I can only imagine it would be a hit at Christmas.
Audra
Monday 6th of November 2017
This looks so good! I can't wait to try it!