If you’re in the market for a new holiday cocktail, I humbly recommend Vin Chaud, the famous French mulled wine. Steaming hot wine is spiked with a touch of brandy and infused with scintillating spices for a drink that warms you from the inside out. In short, it is wintertime perfection.
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About This Recipe
I first tried vin chaud while I was teaching English in France. The delicious aroma of this special mulled wine permeates the French Christmas markets there, and I simply couldn’t resist trying a warm cup.
Not only does this warm cocktail smell heavenly, but, more importantly, it also tastes ambrosial. It’s sweet, spicy, and just the right amount of boozy to put a sparkle in your eye.
Let me tell you — strolling through the twinkle-lit market with my hands wrapped around a mug of warm wine was an absolute delight. In fact, it’s one of my most cherished memories from my time abroad!
I love to recreate that feeling every year around the holidays, which is why I couldn’t wait to share this cocktail with you. Aside from being simply delicious, this French mulled wine recipe is also:
- Supremely Seasonal - This warm and cozy adult beverage is ideal for carousing by the fire après-ski, staying warm at a game or while you’re out caroling, or keeping your spirits merry and bright while conquering Black Friday deals.
- Made With Just 6 Ingredients - Wine, brandy, an orange, and a few spices are all that stand between you and a mug of this exceptionally tasty hot wine.
- Perfect For Groups - One batch will make enough for 4-6 servings, but you can easily double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to fit your needs!
- Quick & Easy - Slice, pour, warm, steep, and serve. It’s simple enough for even the most novice hostess to tackle.
Looking for more holiday cocktails to try? How about this Cranberry & Chai Spiced Tea Hot Toddy, Rosemary Cranberry Vodka Spritzer, Spiced Apple Brandy Cocktail or a Holiday Gin & Tonic Cranberry Cocktail!
Ingredients & Substitutions
As promised, you only need a handful of ingredients to make this vin chaud recipe. Here’s what to grab:
- Orange - Fresh oranges are always best, but you’re welcome to swap in a high-quality bottled juice like Natalie’s if needed. You can also use smaller citrus like mandarins, clementines, or tangerines depending on what you have on hand.
- Brandy - To give your tipple a little extra oomph. You’re welcome to swap in an orange liqueur like Cointreau or sweet Tawny Port if you like.
- Red Wine - I used Zinfandel, but any young, jammy, full-bodied wine will do the trick!
- Cinnamon Sticks, Star Anise, & Whole Cloves - Using whole spices for mulling wine imbues the whole pot with tons of flavor without adding any gritty powder to your drinks. You’re also welcome to use any pre-mixed mulling spices you have on hand!
- To Garnish - While it’s totally optional, add orange slices, a few cranberries, and a cinnamon stick really amplifies the whole celebratory vibe.
Equipment
Making hot spiced wine requires just a few basic tools. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cutting Board & Chef’s Knife - For slicing your orange.
- Heavy-Bottomed Large Pot - So long as your pot or large saucepan has a heavy bottom, it will distribute the heat from your burners evenly and prevent scorching. Choose the size based on how many bottles of wine you plan on warming up!
- Ladle - For serving.
- Holiday Mugs - While any mug will do, I love adding a little Christmas-y flair for the full effect.
How To Make Vin Chaud
This mulled wine recipe is as simple as can be. Here’s how this comforting drink is made:
Step 1: Slice Orange. Add one-half of the oranges in slices into your heavy-bottomed pot and add the remaining ½ orange juice, then place them into the pot as well.
Step 2: Mix. Pour in you favorite brandy and bottle of red wine, then add your whole winter spices and various mulling spices.
Step 3: Warm & Infuse. Put the mixture on medium heat until you start to see bubbles rising to the surface. Turn off the heat and allow the wine to infuse for 30 minutes before serving!
Step 4: Serve. Strain wine through a fine mesh strainer. Then, pour vin chaud into a mug and garnish with an orange slice or orange zest, cinnamon stick, whole star anise and a few fresh cranberries. Enjoy!
Optional Variations
While I love this pared back festive drink recipe for vin chaud during the holiday season, there is always room for you to put your own spin on things. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Different Spices - Ginger, cardamom pods, allspice, and fennel seed are all used in different mulled wine recipes around the world.
- Extra Sweet - Some recipes for mulled wine call for adding sugar, brown sugar or honey, but I find that using a fruit-forward red wine is usually plenty sweet for my palette. Feel free to adjust based on your preferences.
- Different Fruits - Feel free to swap in the fruit wine of your choice. You can also add apples, pears, lemons, and/or raisins to the punch.
- Non-Alcoholic - Don’t forget your DD’s, sober curious friends, and teenagers! There are lots of options for non-alcoholic wines on the market these days.
Expert Tips
- Use your crockpot to keep the vin chaud warm. This batch cocktail is awesome for serving at holiday parties, but it must be served warm. Employ the use of your slow cooker (or Instant Pot!) set to low heat to free up the stove space or place the drink station outside of the kitchen.
- Warm the wine, but don’t boil it. It only needs to come to a slight simmer before removing it from heat.
- Keep a lid on to keep the booze in. Alcohol evaporates faster than water, so make sure you keep a lid on your vin chaud while you’re keeping it warm and preserve the alcohol content.
Frequently Asked Questions
This traditional European winter cocktail is simply warmed and spiced wine (usually red) that is usually fortified by adding a splash of liquor (e.g. brandy) or liqueur (e.g. Grand Marnier) and is flavored with citrus fruits.
While different European countries have their own versions — for example, there’s Wassail punch in the UK, glühwein in Germany, and glögg in Nordic countries — vin chaud, the French iteration, was my first and favorite.
I suggest reaching for any young, fruity, full-bodied red wines like Zinfandel (a.k.a. Primativo), Syrah (a.k.a. Shiraz), Malbec, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Grenache (a.k.a. Garnacha), Beaujolais, or Tempranillo. A good “rule” to keep in mind is that if you don’t like drinking it as is, you probably won’t be able to “fix” it by mulling.
Aside from that, avoid any wine that has been aged in oak barrels, older bottles, or wines that have “dry” in the description, as these can prove too tannic for the spices to come through and may end up tasting bitter after heating.
More Holiday Recipes
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Vin Chaud (French Mulled Wine)
Ingredients
- 1 Bottle of Wine
- 1-2 Oranges
- 3 Cinnamon Sticks
- 3 Star Anise
- ¼ cup Brandy
- 5 Whole Cloves
- Orange slice, cranberries and cinnamon stick to garnish
Instructions
- Slice your orange in half - add one half of the oranges in slices into your heavy bottomed pot and cut the remaining orange half into slices, then placing them into the pot as well.1-2 Oranges
- Pour in brandy and wine, then place cinnamon sticks, cloves and anise into the post as well1 Bottle of Wine, 3 Cinnamon Sticks, 3 Star Anise, ¼ cup Brandy, 5 Whole Cloves
- Put the mixture on medium heat until you start to see bubble rising to the surface. Turn off the heat and allow the wine to infuse for 30 minutes before serving!
- To serve, pour your Vin chaud into a mug and garnish with an orange slice, cinnamon stick and a few cranberries.Orange slice, cranberries and cinnamon stick to garnish
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
- Use your crockpot to keep the vin chaud warm. This batch cocktail is awesome for serving at holiday parties, but it must be served warm. Employ the use of your slow cooker (or Instant Pot!) set to low heat to free up the stove space or place the drink station outside of the kitchen.
- Warm the wine, but don’t boil it. It only needs to come to a slight simmer before removing it from heat.
- Keep a lid on to keep the booze in and preserve the alcohol content. Alcohol evaporates faster than water, so make sure you keep a lid on your vin chaud while you’re keeping it warm.
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