The tradition of sipping spiced wine while perusing stalls at Czech towns' annual Christmas markets is deeply ingrained in the country's culture. A cup of hot wine will warm your chilly hands, and its aroma will put you in the mood for the holiday season. Let's make a true spiced wine according to a Czech recipe!
Prepare a sweet and spicy infusion: pour less than 1 inch of water into a saucepan (I used my heavy-bottomed Dutch oven), add the sugar, and stir. Add the spices. Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid has almost evaporated. Stir occasionally.
Make sure that all the water does not disappear. If necessary, add a tablespoon or two of water to the saucepan. In the end, you should be left with a low-water syrup that is starting to caramelize.
Add the wine to the saucepan and stir. Return the pot to the stove and bring it to a boil, but just before the boiling point, when a light foam begins to form on the surface, remove the pot from the heat source. Let it stand for another ten minutes or so to allow the flavors of the spices and the wine to blend nicely.
Strain the spiced wine. Pour it through a sieve from one pot into another. Discard any leftover spices. If the brew starts to cool after straining, simply place it on the stove and reheat.
Notes
Makes 2 full glasses.
SERVING: Serve hot in your favorite heatproof glass or porcelain mug. If you like, garnish with a few citrus slices for a nice display. If you prefer your brew sweeter, add a sugar bowl to the table. Everyone will be able to sweeten their warm drink to taste.
Reheat in a pot on the stovetop, eventually in the microwave.
Spiced wine cannot be cooked during preparation. If you boil the wine or heat it for longer, the alcohol will start evaporating, and the brew will lose its strength.