Gluehwein and Jaegertee

I was just appointed to bring the gluehwein or jaegertee for Christmas eve. I have a basic recipe including sugar, cloves, cinnamon and fruit. Now the concoction has been good however not stellar or drop dead incredible. Any suggestions to wow the crowd? Once again, thanks in advance for the suggestions.

I used this recipe before:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art25534.asp

I looked at the recipe and here's what I imagine could turn it more stellar:

Quality ingredients.

I don't think you need to mull stellar wine, but the fresher your spices are the better it'd be.

I was just at Penzey's in Naperville today and I was quite "wowed" by the quality of their spices. I don't think the cloves I got from them are something the regular grocery store really carries, more like these were from the extra special clove place (I forget where).

I also am not sure why cinnamon sticks are called for. The best cinnamon is from softer bark and can't make sticks, only lumps.

Certainly if you can freshly grind your allspice and mace the recipe would improve.

Good oranges too, clementines are rampant, and Caputo's has Mandarin Oranges right now (nicer than clementines in my mind). Don't know if anywhere else has Mandarins (fresh, that is).

I have no idea about a quality lemon.

Quality to an extent in the wine. I'm sure it could be had for under
$10 a bottle. Recently went to Sam's Wine in Downer's Grove and asked for "5-10 dollar red wines with dark fruit character" and came home with a mixed case. Been loving every one.

Nancy

What about making Glogg? You can use the Swedish drink mix, bottled in Malmo, which is available at Wikstroms and other Andersonville purveyors of Scandinavian goods (I have also seen it at Treasure Island in years past). It has citrus, spices, caramel and sugar. The only problem is that it is not "from scratch" You could stud some oranges with cloves and float them in the pan in which you heat the wine/brandy mixture for the a more evocative presentation. I find it is always a good idea to leave myself an easy out during the holiday season. This year that translates to a make-ahead dessert: pears poached in glogg and toffee-date pudding.