Hot Mulled Wine

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 lemon
• 8 whole cloves
• 1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle claret wine
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg (optional)

Directions

Stir water and sugar together in a saucepan until sugar dissolves. Add lemon, cloves, and cinnamon stick; bring mixture to a boil and cook until flavors combine, about 10 minutes. Strain and return water mixture to the saucepan; discard lemon, cloves, and cinnamon stick.

Stir claret wine into water mixture; heat until hot but not boiling, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve flecked with nutmeg.