California Wine Month may have come and gone, but pumpkin spice season is right around the corner. Let's celebrate with a simple harvest-inspired recipe for Pumpkin Spice Mulled Wine! I'll also throw in a few highlights from my recent wine tasting trip to Paso Robles, California!
This easy-to-make recipe was created with Chardonnay from the Paso Robles region. It is the type of simple sippin' that warms you from the inside out even on a crisp fall day.
{{ Our post and the mulled wine recipe that goes with it was made in partnership with California Wines! We received compensation and product in exchange for it. Opinions are always our own. If we don’t love it, you don’t hear about it. Thanks for your continued support! }}
What is mulled wine?
Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine is typically made with red wine along with mulling spices and sweeteners. It is different from regular wine because it has been heated. The wine is gently heated to a temperature that allows the flavors of the mulling spices, orange juice, or other ingredients to blend together completely.
Red wine or white wine? What is the best choice for making mulled wine?
Well, both actually! Let's talk about what varietals, both red and white, work best in mulled wine recipes.
Traditional Mulled Wine recipe
I created this red wine-based mulled wine recipe for California Grown and it is a stunner!
It's inspired by Vin Brulé, a spiced wine sold in Italy from street carts in the cooler months of the year.
For a mulled wine recipe made with red wine it is important to note:
Mulling wine disguises a lot of the nuances of taste. For this reason, don’t pick a delicately flavored wine. Instead, go for bigger, bolder, full-bodied reds like Syrah and Malbec. A red blend is also a great choice for making mulled wine and will often be cheaper than a single varietal wine.
For a mulled wine recipe made with white wine it is important to note:
Aromatic white wines such as Riesling, Muscat (Moscato), or Chenin Blanc are all great choices for making mulled white wine. For this pumpkin spice-inspired version of mulled wine, I opted for a nice buttery Chardonnay from J.Lohr which is located in Paso Robles.
How to make mulled wine in just a few steps!
Mulled wine is an easy and delicious celebratory beverage to make at home! Let's talk through the steps - spoiler alert there is really only one main step.
How to make Pumpkin Spiced Mulled Wine
First, combine Chardonnay, pumpkin butter, brandy and honey in a deep saucepan. Whisk well so that everything dissolves. Add the sliced orange and whole spices. Place over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes until heated through and serve.
It is important to not heat the mixture up over high heat or for too long as the alcohol would cookout and who wants that?! Warm and steamy is the sweet spot.
What makes this pumpkin spice mulled wine recipe so unique?
The pumpkin butter and fall spices, of course!
This recipe was inspired by a recent wine tasting trip to Paso Robles, California. While there I learned that my favorite Chardonnay from the Paso Robles region has perfect flavor notes for pairing with the cozy flavors of fall.
According to Kristen Barnhisel, J. Lohr winemaker, white wine, their 2019 Riverstone Chardonnay is perfect for this mulled wine recipe!
"The enticing aromas are reminiscent of ripe orange, fresh nectarine, and hazelnut. Which are complemented by the palate flavors of apricot, ripe peach, and honey. The rich texture and balance on the palate from aging surely gives way to flavors of vanilla, citrus cream, and a hint of oak on the long finish."
The chardonnay's flavor mimics the citrus and honey that are also used in this mulled wine recipe, as well as in the pumpkin butter that is the main flavoring component!
Paso Robles, California is the perfect place to celebrate California Wine Month!
Whether you want to visit a vineyard. Go wine tasting at multiple wineries in one day. Or maybe just take a relaxing drive through some of the most beautiful scenery our country has to offer. Paso Robles, California is calling your name!
Here are a few of Paso Robles best wineries to visit on your wine tour.
We had the pleasure of visiting a handful of very unique tasting rooms and vineyards. Along the way, I discovered some new-to-me wines that I might have never tried before. Spoiler alert, I LOVED them all! Listed below are a few that I loved so much that I decided to bring some home with me.
Desparada, Tin City
Clay vessels called amphoras have been used to ferment and age wine since ancient times, but winemaker Vailia From’s of Desparada has brought this practice into the present day with some of the most delicious wines I have ever tasted!
It was truly a gift to have her sit at our table and enjoy a tasting with us. Her passion and knowledge are unparalleled and her life's journey to get to where she is now is nothing short of fascinating!
My favorite wines of this tasting were the 2019 Shell Creek, Chenin Blanc, and the 2016 & 2019 Borderlands Red Blend.
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Sans Liege, Tin City
Say hello to Curt Schalchlin, the winemaker that forever changed my mind about muscat wine!
"Sans Liege" means without a leader and let me tell you after sitting with Curt and learning about his unique methods of going from the vineyard to the bottle I would say that name fits.
From how grapes for his wines are harvested, how they capture native yeast from the specific varietals vineyards themselves instead of using commercial yeast in their winemaking process, to how they process the grapes when they arrive at their facility - every step is unique, fascinating, and inspiring!
My absolute favorite wine of this tasting was the 2020 Groundwork Muscat Frizzante - talk about changing my entire mind about a grape varietal!
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
J. Lohr Wines
The first time I ever sipped a glass of wine it happened to be a bottle of J. Lohr and it still captivates my tastebuds to this day!
Sharing a meal with Steve Lohr, the son of the founders, was truly an experience that I will be raving about for the rest of my life!
Listening to him tell the story of how his parents founded J. Lohr and became winemakers was fascinating and inspiring, to say the least.
When it comes to sustainability in the winemaking industry, J. Lohr is at the forefront - I mean just look at that field of solar panels!
J. Lohr's Grenache Rosé was my favorite pairing of the meal - I'm not typically a rosé kind of a gal, but let me tell you this one had me singing a different tune.
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Want to host a wine pairing at home? Here are a few recipes to get you started!
It is so much fun to pair a familiar bottle of wine with new recipes. I love to take note of how the spices and texture of each dish can change the flavor notes of the wine. It is like getting to know a trusted old friend on a much deeper level.
This mulled wine recipe is not the first time we have created a recipe to pair with J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay. It is actually the third!
Zuppa Toscana
This soup has all the basics, lots of hot Italian sausage, crispy bacon, tender potatoes, a hefty dose of heavy cream, and a few handfuls of greens.
It's simple and rustic but is pure bliss for your tastebuds. I love to pair a hearty soup like this with a glass of Chardonnay.
While the soup is rich and creamy with a hint of heat this wine is perfectly light and floral.
Gluten-Free Roasted Meyer Lemon and Brown Butter Pasta
This pasta dish is loaded with roasted Meyer lemon wheels, broccoli, & cauliflower and is aggressively seasoned, tableside, with a smattering of savory sprinkles. AKA: Toasted pine nuts, basil, pecorino Romano, and Meyer lemon zest!
Hope Family Wines
Talk about a swoon-worthy experience! This stop on our tour exceeded all of my expectations and then some.
Our timing to the Hope Family Wines tasting room could not have been more perfect as we were able to experience a wine and cheese pairing unlike any I have ever had!
Just a few short weeks ago Hope Family Wines partnered with Stepladder Creamery to launch wine and cheese pairings in their tasting room and they are exquisite!
It's more than a wine and cheese pairing though - it is the love story of Hope Family Wines assistant Winemaker Samantha Taylor and Stepladder Creamery's Cheesemaker, Robin Proffitt.
Trust me - when a winemaker and a cheesemaker that are madly in love put togther a pairing for you it is an experience like no other!
My favorite wine and cheese pairings of the day were Austin Hope Sauvignon Blanc and Stepladder Fromage Blanc. As well as the Austin Hope Grenache, pictured below, and Stepladder Cabrillo.
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Where to eat when you visit Paso Robles, California
One of my favorite things about traveling to new places is the food I get to experience, shocker! We had the opportunity to try a few really unique restaurants when we visited Paso that did not disappoint.
La Cosecha
Whatever you do, when visiting Paso make a reservation at La Cosecha!
With a shellfish allergy, I don't often get to partake in paella, but OMG La Cosecha created the most delicious seafood-free paella studded with sausage, chicken, steak, and more! It was a feast for my senses that I will be craving for years to come!
Pictured is a beet salad that was also really delicious!
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Alchemists Garden
While I could wax poetic about the cocktails and ALL of the inventive menu items at the restaurant it's the fries that will forever have me dreaming of making another reservation!
Not even gonna lie - 5 foodies walked into this joint and couldn't stop talking about the fries for days - that is impressive!
Negranti Creamery
Sheep's milk ice cream flavored with local ingredients? Sign me up! I had the Strawberry Basil & Blackberry Rosemary flavors when we visited and honestly, it's hard to choose a favorite from the two!
The Bistro at Vina Robles
While I didn't eat here myself I cannot even begin to count the number of times "The Burger" at The Bistro came up in conversation, so I figured it was worth mentioning!
Where to stay when you visit Paso Robles, California
Digs Vacation Rentals
This classic 1890's Victorian is where I stayed with our crew and let me tell you it was FABULOUS!
This beautiful home sleeps up to 8 people and is located in Downtown Paso on the most desirable street, Vine Street.
The house is exceptional, the kitchen exquisite, and the backyard is phenomenal! I will definitely be looking to rent this home again when we visit Paso.
Oxford Hotel Suites
Most of the influencers on our trip stayed here and it was lovely! Super clean, centrally located, and the restaurant inside is really delicious! We had gigantic salads there one afternoon for lunch paired with wine and it was truly unexpected!
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Where to shop when you visit Paso Robles, California
There are so many cute shops in downtown Paso! The town square is picturesque and worth spending an entire afternoon exploring.
Paso General Store
There wasn't too much time for shopping, but we did stop into Paso General Store and it was the cutest! I broke out my wallet and spent a small fortune - consider yourself warned!
What to do in Paso Robles, California besides wine tastings
There are tons of great things to do in Paso besides wine tasting. We checked out a few local attractions that were truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Take in a show at Vina Robles Amphitheater
Take in a show under the stars and enjoy a nice bottle of Vina Robles wine while you do it! This venue has it all!!! A prime location, lots of food and beverages, a great lineup of talent, and a sky full of stars to enjoy it all under!
One of the pinch-me moments of the entire trip was getting to see The Counting Crows perform. My friend KC, The GFree Foodie, and I have been fans of the band since our high school days! It was really special to have our first concert experience since covid began to be such a meaningful one.
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Light at Sensorio || Created by internationally acclaimed artist Bruce Munro
Want to light your inner child on fire?! Sensorio is the spot. It is whimsical, fantastical, and absolutely breathtaking!
Field of Light is a 15-acre walk-through experience comprised of more than 58,800 stemmed spheres lit by fiber optics that illuminate the landscape in subtle blooms of shifting color! It feels fantastical, almost like you are on another planet that you had only dreamed of!
Light Towers celebrates Paso Robles’ extensive wine country! Walking amongst the colorful 6‑foot-tall towers that are composed of more than 17,000 wine bottles is moving. Truly, moving. Each bottle is illuminated with glowing optic fibers whose colors morph to a moving musical score of voices. It feels as if the music literally flows right through you!
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
When we say award-winning, we really mean it!! Richard & Myrna Meisler's walls in their tasting room are covered with more awards than I could have ever imagined! And for good reason too, their olive oil is the best we've ever tasted!
Spending a few hours on the property with this lovely couple ensures you will not only experience the fruits of their labor on your palate. But you will also have a direct tap into the passion the Meisler's have for what they do. How they plant, tend the trees, harvest the fruit, and then process it is all an art form. An art that has perfect timing, is brimming with passion, and lots of heart. It is no wonder that they hold the title for the best olive oil in the entire world!
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Now that we've explored Paso and celebrated California Wine Month in a real BIG way, it's time for you to celebrate too! Scroll just a bit further for the printable recipe for our Pumpkin Spice Mulled Wine.
If you’ve given our Pumpkin Spiced Mulled Wine a try I would be so grateful if you would rate the recipe with a star rating and let me know what you think in the comments below!
I just love hearing from you and your reviews and comments really help others that visit This Mess is Ours.
PrintPumpkin Spice Mulled Wine
This easy-to-make pumpkin spice mulled wine recipe is made with buttery Chardonnay from the Paso Robles region of California.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: simmered
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
1 (750 ml) bottle chardonnay
1 large orange, sliced into rounds. Seeds removed if necessary.
¼ cup pumpkin butter, storebought or homemade
8 whole cloves
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1 star anise
¼ cup brandy
⅛ cup honey
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients in a large non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Once simmering reduce to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Do not turn the heat up too high or cook for too long, this will cook out the alcohol. Strain and serve warm with your desired garnishes.
Notes
Want to eliminate the straining step when making Pumpkin Spiced Mulled Wine?
Simply combine and secure the oranges, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise in a cheesecloth bundle. Then remove the bundle after the cooking time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 small gass
- Calories: 139
- Sugar: 8.3 g
- Sodium: 9.8 mg
- Fat: 8.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.1 g
- Protein: 0.6 g
- Cholesterol: 20.3 mg
Keywords: mulled wine, chardonnay, pumpkin butter, pumpkin spice, star anise, cinnamon, cocktails
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