*This is a sponsored post in partnership with Fonseca Port intended for a 21+ audience. Please drink responsibly.

It’s finally cold out, and we are so ready for warm cocktails! And also ready for tiny scarves.

I really love mulling wine-based batch cocktails when people are coming over for the holidays—simmering all that delicious goodness on the stovetop makes the house smell so dang festive. It’s a seasonal cocktail and potpourri all in one. And it’s so easy. But it kind of seems like it isn’t easy, and so your guests are going to feel like you really went all out for them. And we’re just going to roll with that story and bask in their praise and undying devotion.

Then we are going to put tiny scarves on the chickens and stare at them while we drink our mulled port out of fancy mugs.

So I was especially excited to experiment with Fonseca Bin No. 27 Port (SRP $19.99). This gorgeous ruby port really delivers a bold dark fruit flavor with a hint of spice—and I knew immediately I wanted to play off of those flavors with citrus and chocolate elements.

Let’s mull some stuff.

SPICED CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE MULLED PORT

Makes approximately 6 servings.

• 1 750ml bottle of Fonseca Bin No. 27 Port

• 1 750ml bottle of dry red wine

• 2 cups fresh orange juice, strained to remove pulp

• 1/2 cup Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur)

• 1/4 cup powdered Mexican hot chocolate mix (or another bittersweet dark hot chocolate mix)

• 2 small oranges, halved for mulling

• 2 small oranges, sliced for garnish

• 2 cinnamon sticks for mulling

• 6 cinnamon sticks for garnish

• 6 cardamom pods

• 1 nutmeg seed

• 4 cloves

  
  

  To make:

  In a large saucepan, combine port, wine, orange juice, orange liqueur, hot chocolate mix, the 2 halved oranges, 2 cinnamon sticks, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir thoroughly to combine and dissolve chocolate, then bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. When you are ready to serve, spoon liquids into your mug/glass, and garnish with a fresh orange slice and cinnamon stick.

This is truly the perfect warm holiday cocktail to hold between your mitten-covered hands. It’s so fragrant and so tasty, and the ruby red color is just so yummy to look at. I’m not even bragging. I’m just keeping you informed because it is my solemn, sworn duty.

And if you don’t have a chicken to put a tiny scarf on, I gotta say that the Fonseca Bin No. 27 Port bottle looks pretty charming in a scarf, too.

*This is a sponsored post in partnership with Fonseca Port intended for a 21+ audience. Please drink responsibly.