Ingredients
Wine
- 1.5 litresyoung Italian red: Sangiovese, Montepulciano or a simple table wine
Spices
- 3cinnamon sticks
- 8cloves
- 3star anise
- 1whole nutmeg, cracked
- 4bay leaves
- 6black peppercorns
Citrus
- 1orange, peel only, in wide strips
- 1lemon, peel only
To sweeten
- 150 gsugar, or to taste
Optional
- a small glass of grappa or brandy
- 1apple, sliced
To serve
- in mugs or heatproof glasses, outdoors
Directions
- Use only the coloured zest, peeled off in wide strips with a peeler, and leave the white pith behind. The pith is bitter and it leaches into hot wine within twenty minutes.
- Use a cheap young red with plenty of fruit and no oak. Crack the nutmeg rather than grating it, so it can be fished out later. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves.
- Bring it to between 70 and 80°C, hot enough to steam faintly but never bubbling. Never let it boil.
- Hold it at that temperature for 20 to 25 minutes. The slower you heat it, the more the spices infuse, so take twenty minutes over it rather than five.
- Add a splash of water if it tastes too strong, which market stalls do routinely.
- Add spirits at the end and off the heat, so the alcohol stays in the drink. Strain out the cloves and peppercorns at least, since biting one is unpleasant.
- Serve it hot in mugs, with a fresh strip of orange peel in each. It is drunk standing outside in the cold, which is really the point of it.
Technique
- Bay leaf is genuinely traditional in Italian mulled wine.
- Using peel rather than slices avoids the bitterness of pith.
- San Marino’s Christmas market runs through December in the old town.
Substitutions
- Any cheap young dry red wine.
- Honey in place of sugar, added off the heat.
Variations
- Vin brulé bianco, made with white wine.
- With grappa added.
- With apple slices simmered in it.
History
Poured at winter markets and the Christmas fairs that fill San Marino’s old town each December.
Frequently asked questions
What is Vin brule?
Vin brule is a cocktail from San Marino: red wine warmed with sugar, cinnamon, cloves and citrus peel. Poured at winter markets and the Christmas fairs that fill San Marino’s old town each December.
How long does Vin brule take to make?
Vin brule takes 10 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Vin brule?
Yes, within limits. Any cheap young dry red wine. Honey in place of sugar, added off the heat.
What is the most important thing to get right in Vin brule?
Use a cheap young red with plenty of fruit and no oak. Crack the nutmeg rather than grating it, so it can be fished out later. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves.
