The Old Bear's Hot Spiced Wine

Ingredients

 * 2 bottles of red wine (Shiraz and Cabernet work well)
 * 750ml pulp-free orange juice (1/2 as much orange juice as wine)
 * 1 Tbs. cinnamon and 2 cinnamon sticks
 * 1 Tbs. nutmeg
 * ~3 1″ cubes of fresh ginger. Crush these into the wine using a garlic press.
 * ~3 tablespoons of honey
 * 3-6 heaping tablespoons of cane sugar (or white sugar)
 * 2 clementines, halved. (or 1 small orange)
 * 1/4 of a fresh lemon, squeezed over the pot. (Optional, but don’t substitute lemon juice from a bottle.)
 * 12-20 cloves.
 * 1/2 shot of brandy, cognac, or armagnac (optional, but adds a pleasant kick)

Directions
The cloves should be inserted stem first into the rind of the clementine so that only the buds are sticking out. You might need to pierce to flesh of the clementines with a small knife first in order to insert the cloves. After getting all the cloves in, float the clementines in the wine, rind down, so that the cloves are in the wine.

Add all of the other ingredients and bring the mixture to a simmer, but DO NOT BOIL. Stir the liquid with a whisk often, and, once it simmers for about 5 minutes, reduce the heat so that the wine is kept just below a simmer. Heat the wine for 45 minutes and serve it with a ladle.