- One 750-ml bottle dry or off-dry white wine, preferably Riesling or Grüner Veltliner
- 1 piece star anise
- Two 1/4-inch-thick slices fresh ginger
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 3 whole cloves
- 3 to 4 tablespoons honey, or to taste
- 1/4 cup pear brandy, such as Poire Williams
- 4 slices Asian pear
- Put the wine in a medium heavy saucepan with the star anise, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and honey (start with 3 tablespoons and adjust later if necessary). Set the pan over medium heat and bring just to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and let the wine mull for at least 15 minutes.
- Taste and add more honey if you like. Gently reheat the wine until it starts to steam, then turn off the heat and stir in the brandy.
- Divide among 4 mugs or heatproof glasses, putting a few of the whole spices in each mug if you like, and add a slice of Asian pear. Toddy away!