Christmas Compote with Spiced Rioja

When I spent the holiday season in Madrid, I kept overhearing ladies exchange recipes for this classic Christmas compote, which combines dried and fresh fruit with red wine infused with vanilla and spices. Dried fruit in Spain—figs, peaches, cherries—is of exceptional quality, so seek out excellent organic dried fruit for the compote. If the prunes are very soft, add them along with the fresh fruit. Adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of the apple and pear; the liquid shou