Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore head sommelier Britt Ng shares his delicious recipe, which gives this classic spiced wine a local twist
There is no Christmas drink that is more ubiquitous than mulled wine. While the spiced wine originated in Europe as far back as the 2nd century, the tradition of preparing this drink by heating red wine with spices such as cloves and cinnamon lives on.
Even in Singapore, mulled wine has become a staple in our Christmas feast. To help you add a boozy twist to your festivities, we asked Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore head sommelier Britt Ng to share his original recipe which is infused with local flavours.
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Ingredients:
- 1 bottle of red wine
- 3 pcs cinnamon sticks
- 3 pcs star anise
- 6 pcs cloves
- 2 pcs mace (this is a dried herb derived from nutmeg and can be replaced with half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg if not available)
- 1 fresh orange, sliced.
- 65g gula melaka or palm sugar
- 100ml Cointreau
Method:
- Empty the bottle of red wine into a pot and heat it up until it reaches a simmer. Refrain from letting the mixture boil or bubble.
- Add the cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves and mace. Stir for around 10 minutes or until the scent of the herbs and spices becomes apparent.
- Add in sliced orange, gula melaka and Cointreau. Continue stirring until the sugar completely dissolves.
- Allow the wine to simmer for another 5 minutes. Do not leave the orange in the mixture for too long during cooking as it will cause the wine to be bitter.
- Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve.
- Serve warm or iced in a mug, garnished with a cinnamon stick and a slice of fresh orange.
Tatler Tip
Britt Ng recommends using a full-bodied, fruit-forward wine such as Australian shiraz or USA merlot. The sweetness from the wine pairs perfectly with the herbs and spices, giving it a good structure and textured mouthfeel.
Britt Ng’s mulled wine is also available for purchase here.