Place all the ingredients except the pears in a saucepan. The saucepan should fit all of the pears comfortably, with enough depth to submerge them completely in the poaching liquid.
Bring the mix to the boil, and then turn the heat down to a low simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
When the sugar is dissolved and the wine is simmering, peel the pears. The fruit will discolor quickly, so peel them only when ready!
Gently submerge the peeled pears in the wine mix, and poach for 20-25 minutes or until tender enough to be poked through with a fork. Turn the pears every 5 minutes to help them poach evenly.
Keeping the pears upright, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the pears to cool in the wine. Once cool, remove the pears and leave on a plate or wire rack.
Return the wine mix to the heat and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, and has formed a syrup. If it gets too thick, you can thin it out with a little water.
To serve the pears, place upright on a plate and drizzle with a spoonful of the syrup. Garnish with some fresh, torn mint leaves and a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.