This is an amalgamation of a few mulled wine recipes and it turned out great! The easiest method is to substitute out the spices and zest for a pre-made tea bag of mulling spices (one tea bag per 16 ounces so this recipe would need about 3) but I've included the spices here in case that's not available. Any red wine will do but I think the merlot has a nice balanced flavor for this. The vermouth really adds a nice layer to the warmth and taste of this wine.