1: I advise you to use a very basic wine. Pour 1 litre red wine into a pan and bring to the boil on medium heat.
2: Meanwhile, cut fruit in half, set half an orange and a half grapefruit aside, and squeeze the others.
3: Scrub the skin of the other 2 half fruit thoroughly, and cut into small pieces, with both peel and flesh on each as far as possible.
4: When wine boils, set light to the alcohol vapours (a pretty blue flame) by holing a flame above the pan. Leave all alcohol to burn off, which will take about 2-3 minutes.
7: Add pieces of fruit, turn down heat to minimum and leave to simmer until drinking time (but at least one hour).
8: Serve in glasses or mugs, a generous helping of wine and a few fruits.
Remarks
Many people think that the most important thing in mulled wine is the spices, but for me it's more the wine-fruit mix which gives the delicious hint of acidity. Then you can add whatever you want: vanilla, cinnamon, aniseed, pepper,... For a quick mulled wine, forget: vanilla sugar, grapefruit and cinnamon. For a glittering presentation, serve in glasses (not mugs) with the edges dipped in white egg then caster sugar.