Sparkling Mulled Spice Punch

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Ohhhhhh, sparkly holiday drinks, I cannot quit you. I just cannot. But you know what else I like besides the sparkly beverages? A good ol’ mulled wine. So let’s smash them together into a highly smashable drink.

How do we do that? By making a delightful Spiced Mulled Wine Syrup that is then added to sparkling rosé to make a sort of “champagne cocktail” spritzer-adjacent situation. And quite frankly, this delicious syrup is soooooo good added to other beverages—like a hot toddy, or a mule (a Mulled Mule, come ON!!!!).

You maybe wondering…does cooking the wine down into a syrup make it non-alcoholic? No. But it definitely knocks the alcohol down a bit (likely to about 40% or so of its original potency but don’t quote me on that because I am certainly no food scientist and THIS IS THE INTERNET so believe nothing you read). So if you’re looking for a way to make a super low ABV spritzer, just mix this lovely syrup with some sparkling water and VOILÀ! Deliciousness with just a nudge of booze.

Let’s talk sparkling rosé…specifically, which one I recommend for this. I tend to prefer a pretty dry sparkling wine when mixing with any sort of sweet syrup and my go to is Mumm Napa Brut Rosé—but if you prefer your drinks to be more on the sweet side, use whatever floats your goat. It def does not have to be rosé, either.

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Sparkling Mulled Spice Punch

MAKES ONE SERVING

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INGREDIENTS

• 4-6 oz. dry sparkling rosé wine

• 1 oz. Spiced Mulled Wine Syrup

  • 2 cups dry red wine

  • 1.5 cups brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup cranberries, halved

  • 2 tsp. vanilla

  • 1 medium orange, sliced

  • 1 small lemon, sliced

  • 10 cloves

  • 2 star anise seeds

  • 2 cinnamon sticks

  • 1 tsp. ground nutmeg

• 1/2 oz fresh orange juice

• 1/4 oz. fresh lemon juice

• orange peel + star anise seed for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the Spiced Mulled Wine Syrup:

Add all ingredients to a medium pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool, and strain liquids into an airtight container and store in fridge for up to several weeks.

To make the cocktail:

Add Mulled Wine Syrup, orange juice, and lemon juice to a champagne flute or coupe. Top with sparkling rosé and garnish with an orange peel spiral and a star anise seed.

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NOTES

To make an orange peel spiral, use a channel knife to peel a long (approx. 5-6”) ribbon of peel. To give it a spiral curl, wrap the peel tightly around a metal straw or anything of similar circumference (kind of like wrapping a piece of hair around a curling iron). Secure it so it doesn’t unravel (I usually use chip clips) and allow it to sit for several minutes while you’re preparing your cocktail. When you remove it from this little mold, it’ll hold its spiral shape enough for you to hang it on your glass.

As cute as the anise seed looks perched on the edge of the glass, it won’t stay there. Drop it in your beverage to float.

PRODUCTS & TOOLS

• Channel Knife

• Mumm Napa Brut Rosé

• Pink Champagne Flute from Anthropologie no longer sold (sad trombone)

Plan on making this recipe?
Share it on Instagram and tag @drinkingwithchickens

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Cheers to wintery celebrations, sparkly cocktails, and little red hens who are very confused by bubbles!

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More winter cocktails…