No winter drink screams Christmas quite like a hearty mug of hot mulled wine. Said to have origins dating back to the 2nd- century Roman Empire, this warming beverage has become synonymous with festive cheer. Traditionally, it’s made with red wine and a variety of mulling spices, though the variations are endless. So to help you begin your own journey of discovery, Stephenie Gee asks three of Hong Kong’s bar luminaries for their favourite mulled wine recipes to spice up your yuletide

Antonio Lai, The Opposites

“This mulled wine gets a fun Hong Kong twist with aged mandarin peel, or chan pei, a classic Cantonese ingredient. It adds a unique bittersweet citrus kick that lingers, softening the spices and reminding you of comforting local herbal drinks.”

Hong Kong–Style mulled wine Ingredients (for two servings):

• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 1 piece nutmeg

• 1 slice ginger
• 6 pieces cloves
• 1 piece star anise
• 5 slices orange
• 2 pieces orange peel
• 1 piece chan pei (aged mandarin peel) • 100ml sugar cane juice
• 50ml rum
• 200ml red wine

Instructions:

1. Heat all the ingredients, except the rum, in a pan over medium heat until just steaming, taking care not to let it boil.
2. Reduce to a gentle simmer for at least 20 minutes.
3. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
4. Add rum and serve hot in mugs.
   

Kai Ng, Quinary

“The inspiration for this blend comes from combining different cuisines I encountered during my travels around the world – masala from India and umeshu from Japan – with the traditional ingredients of glühwein from my home country, Germany.”

Glühwein (mulled wine) Ingredients:

• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 5 mandoline slices ginger

• 6 pieces dried Sichuan pepper • 4 pieces cloves
• 1 piece star anise
• 2 fresh plums sliced

• 650ml umeshu
• 75ml masala syrup • 140ml gin

Instructions:

1. Apart from the gin, put all ingredients in a pan and cook at medium heat until it’s steaming. Be mindful not to bring it to boil.
2. Add in your gin and lower the heat to let it simmer for at least 20 minutes.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
4. Serve hot in mugs.

Samuel Kwok, The Opposites

“After years of tweaking and tasting, I’ve landed on my own ‘perfect ratio’ mulled wine recipe, diallng in the spices, sugar and Cointreau so it feels both deeply warming and nicely balanced. It’s boldly spiced and pretty high in alcohol, wrapping you in heat without ever turning too sweet or too harsh.”

The Perfect mulled wine Ingredients:

• 5L red wine
• 19.5 grams cloves

• 13 pieces star anise
• 20 sticks cinnamon
• 15 grams mace
• 310 grams white sugar • 990ml Cointreau

Instructions:

1. Dry toast the spices in a 100°C oven for eight minutes.
2. Transfer them to a pot with all the liquor and gently heat to 75–

78°C, keeping it at this temperature for one hour without boiling. 3. Once infused, the mulled wine is ready to serve.

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