Remove bad leaves from the cabbage. Cut the head into quarters with a large knife. Slice out the core. Place cabbage on its flat side and very thinly slice it up. Chop all these slices crosswise (roughly). Discard any flat pieces and chunks.
Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl. Repeat this process for all cabbage quarters.
In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onions. Saut for 4-5 minutes. Add the cabbage, stir a few times, and cook for 5 minutes.
Next, add the apples, red wine or broth, apple-cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and cover.
[If using ground spices skip this step, and add to pot] While this begins to simmer, take a piece of cheesecloth (4x4) and place the rest of the whole spices in the center of the cloth. Bring the four (4) corners up together, tie with kitchen string, to form a bag.
Add this to the pot, cover and simmer for 70-80 minutes. Stir occasionally. [Add more wine or broth if needed. Most times its not needed]
When done, place cornstarch (or flour) in a cup. Drain some of the cabbage juice (~3 tablespoons) into the cup and blend well. Add red wine (~2 tablespoons) to darken the liquid. Add this back into the pot and remove the spice bag.
Raise the heat to medium and begin to stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Adjust the taste to your liking with a bit more sugar and/or vinegar. Place in a large serving bowl and top with a sprig of parsley.
