Winter Warmer Mulled Sangria

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Before the party, mix the wine and liqueurs in a pitcher. Add the cranberries and pomegranate arils, cover, and refrigerate and infuse for 3 to 7 days.

3. Boil cranberry-pomegranate juice and club soda in a small saucepan.

4. Add a sachet of mulling spices and allow to sit hot for 15 to 30 minutes. If that isn't enough spiciness for you, you can also add a sachet to the finished pitcher for extra flavor.

5. Allow the mulled juice mix to cool, then pour into the original pitcher and stir to combine.

6. Serve warmed or at room temperature, being sure to include some of the boozy fruit.

More Tips for Making a Great Winter Warmer Mulled Sangria

The majority of this mulled sangria's ingredients are self-explanatory and you can always follow the links in the ingredient list to explore each in-depth. A few, however, require a bit more explanation...

The Red Wine. As with any sangria, the choice of wine is not going to make a big difference in the final drink. There is a lot going on here, so you are simply looking for a good background to build flavors on.

Karl recommends 'something dry and spicy, like a Chianti or a dark red blend -- I used Franklin Hill Vineyard's Trio.' I followed her Chianti suggestion and it was perfect.

Jagermeister Spice Liqueur. Jagermeister Spice is the brand's first expansion beyond their famous herbal liqueur. Fans of pumpkin and seasonal spice liqueurs will really enjoy this one. On the other hand, Jager lovers may not enjoy it as much as the original.

This offering is lighter in both flavor and alcohol content than its big brother. It tones down those signature Jager spices and adds favorite winter baking spices, including cinnamon and vanilla.

Jagermeister Spice is a limited release that was first launched in October 2013. As of 2016, it remains an annual offering available through the winter months. Look for it on shelves in October and November.

• 25% alcohol by volume (50 proof)

• Retails for around $23/750ml bottle

Mulling Spices. Mulled wine is a popular holiday drink. There are many varieties and recipes for it and most have three things in common:

• Red wine

• Served warm

• Mulling spices

What are mulling spices? Essentially it is a combination of spices that we typically associate with the winter months. It often includes allspice, anise, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla and orange peel. Other ingredients like apples, ginger, figs and raisins can also be included.

There is no right or wrong way to put together a sachet of mulling spices and you should feel free to use any of those ingredients that you like. I consider cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and orange essential to my mulled recipes and will add others depending on the drink.

Creating a Spice Sachet. There are many ways to create the sachet itself. I prefer to contain everything as much as possible because it is easier to retrieve from the liquid. Cinnamon sticks are easy to remove, so I simply let them float.

An easy spice sachet:

1. Place the mulling spices in a small piece of cheesecloth or empty loose leaf tea bag.

2. Tie a knot in the cloth.

3. For easy retrieval, place a small sachet in a tea ball or a similar infuser with a chain. Alternatively, tie a piece of (clean) string around a larger pouch.

4. Hang the chain or string over the side of the container so you can easily grab it to remove the spice pouch.

When in doubt, use a ladle to remove the sachet.