Ingredients:

  • 750 ml Dry Red Wine (Merlot, Malbec, or Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 120 ml fresh orange juice
  • 60 ml pure maple syrup or honey
  • 3 cinnamon sticks (approx. 15g)
  • 5 whole star anise
  • 10 whole cloves
  • 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced into coins
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Instructions:

  1. Place the cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, ginger coins, and peppercorns into a dry, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat.
  2. Stir the spices for 2–3 minutes until they become fragrant and appear slightly glossy to release essential oils.
  3. Pour in the orange juice and maple syrup. Stir constantly for 2 minutes to create a light reduction infused with the toasted spices.
  4. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and pour in the bottle of red wine.
  5. Heat slowly until the liquid is steaming (approx. 170°F / 75°C). Do not allow the mixture to boil. Maintain this temperature for 15–20 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat and pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot or directly into heat-proof mugs to remove the whole spices.