Tskheli Ghvino

Ingredients

• 4¼ cupsRed winedry, base of the drink
• 2Orangesliced into rounds or thinly peeled zest, plus juice
• 10Cloveswhole, studded into the citrus slices
• 2cinnamon sticksteeped in the wine, also used as garnish
• 2Star anisewhole
• 2⅛ ozsugarstir in gradually to taste
• ½ cupBrandyfor more depth; orange liqueur as an alternative (optional)
• 2⅛ cupswaterto dilute, makes the drink milder (optional)
• 2⅛ ozhoneyinstead of sugar as sweetener (optional)
• 2Lemonzest and juice, for acidity (optional)
• 1Vanilla beansplit lengthwise, seeds scraped out (optional)
• Nutmegfreshly grated (optional)

Method

1. Scrub the oranges under hot water and cut them into thick rounds; alternatively pare off the zest thinly and squeeze the juice — if you'd rather avoid any bitterness, use the fruit peeled.
2. Stud the cloves into the orange slices so their flavour spreads evenly and they're easy to fish out later; if you are using zest and juice, simply drop the cloves straight into the pot.
3. Put the red wine into a wide pot with the water if you're using it, the orange slices, or the zest and juice, the cinnamon sticks and the star anise.
4. Add the brandy if you're using it and heat everything slowly until it just begins to simmer — never let it boil, or the alcohol and the aromatics will disappear.
5. Cover the pot and let the Tskheli Ghvino steep over low heat: 10 minutes is enough, a full hour makes it rounder and more spiced.
6. Stir in the sugar gradually as it steeps and taste as you go, until the sweetness is where you want it.
7. Lift out the spices and orange slices, or pour the Tskheli Ghvino through a fine sieve.
8. Ladle it hot into heatproof mugs and garnish with a fresh orange slice and a cinnamon stick if you like.

Tips and variations

For something milder, stretch the wine with water — anything from half to the full volume of wine; for something stronger, leave it out and let the Tskheli Ghvino steep for a full hour instead. Sweeten with sugar or honey as you prefer; vanilla seeds and freshly grated nutmeg add extra warmth, while lemons and clementines or satsumas alongside the orange bring more freshness and acidity. It's just as good without the brandy, and the spices come through more clearly that way. Serve it hot in heatproof mugs or glasses, with a cinnamon stick as a stirrer.