Some science behind the scenes
Herbal wine vinum opii
Vinum opii is made by combining opium, sugar, white wine, cinnamon, and cloves.
A number of recipes using opium contain wine or alcohol of some sort or another. There is a very good reason for this. The alkaloids in opium are far more soluble in alcohol than water.
In Vinum opii, the sugar is dissolved in the wine, the cloves and cinnamon are steeped in the mixture and opium dissolved in this.