The recipe below is one that we've been making for a while now. It's just about the right amount for 2-4 people, with a bit more liquid than you'd get from a bottle of wine.
As for choice of red wine, your best bet is to buy a bottle of the simplest, cheapest red wine you can find. Simple red table wine or Cabernet Sauvignon. You'd just be wasting your money to buy a nice bottle of wine and spice it up. If you do not have aquavit, you can substitute vodka.
Red wine (750 ml bottle)
3/4 cup white rum
1/2 cup aquavit or vodka
1/2 cup sugar
5 cardamom pods
6 whole cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cinnamon sticks
Rind from 1/2 orange
Slivered almonds and raisins (OPTIONAL)
YIELD: Approximately 36 oz.
DIRECTIONS:
- Peel orange and use half the rind. Using a knife or melon baller, cut away as much of the rind as possible. Cut into thin strips.
- Add sugar, red wine, rum and aquavit to pan. Stir with a spoon or whisk until sugar is dissolved.
- Add all spices and the orange rind and stir to combine.
- Heat mixture on medium heat, stirring occasionally until it becomes hot, but DO NOT BOIL.
- Remove from heat, cover and let sit for 2 hours.
- Re-heat (LOW HEAT) for a few minutes before serving. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or cheese cloth, and remove the cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and orange peel.
- Add slivered almonds and raisins to each glass, if desired.