This Traditional French Vin Chaud Mulled Wine Recipe is the most good, easy, and authentic Vin Chaud, like French Christmas Markets serve!

Christmas Markets are one of our favorite things in Europe to visit – and the first thing to grab at any market is a cozy hot drink to sip with friends. This French Mulled Wine is easy to make and full of European market charm, at home!

At Avdaye, we add lots of tips in all of our recipes – because we are a home cook without any formal training, and we find we are more confident making dishes when we understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. Our goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

What is Vin Chaud?

In winter in France, one of the best things to slowly sip to warm up is a piping hot mug of Vin Chaud – a lightly spiced warm mulled wine that is incredibly good.

This mulled wine isn't for Christmas – while you'll find Vin Chaud everywhere you turn at French Christmas markets, this French mulled wine is a winter-long drink that is solid on a cold night, after skiing, after sledding, or any other time you want a warm cup of something comforting.

This wine is simple, good, and incredibly easy to make – it's great for parties, a cozy night in, and anytime you want a warm pick us up.

If you'd like to skip over our tips and tricks and photos from visiting Paris at Christmas, where we were inspired to make this French Mulled Wine Recipe, please scroll to the bottom of the page.

We get lots of comments, questions, and requests for more information on our posts, so we put in as much information for readers as possible.

If you'd like to skip and get straight to the vin chaud recipe, please scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find the easy printable recipe.

Experiencing Hot Wine in the Paris Christmas Markets

In 2018, it was our second year in a row visiting for Christmas, and it was even more lovely than ever.

While Luke and we were in Paris, we spent much of our time soaking up the wintery sights – Christmas Markets, Chocolatiers who made fancy creations suited to a Christmas spread, antique shops, over the top stores with crazy displays – it was all such a dream.

We also spent a fair amount of time sitting in quiet cafes, tucking into good meals and drinking fabulous wine as we watched people shopping outside, and soaked up tons of art at the Louvre and the D'Orsay – as well as strolling up and down the banks of the Seine.

We visited the Christmas Market next to the Louvre in the Jardins de Tullerieswhich was a magical sprawling space full of good gourmet foods like escargot, caviar, oysters, langoustines, champagne, and of course Christmas classics like Vin Chaud, chestnuts, gingerbread, candies, and tons of spiced cakes!

It was a solid whimsical Christmas Market – we hope we can take our kids there next year for more festive fun. They asked to go to London and Paris for our family trips this year (we were pretty shocked that won out over Disneyland… but we are not complaining!!), and we can't wait until we get to take them there.

You can't beat Christmastime in Paris – it is one of the most magical places on earth. We are so sad we can't travel to Europe to be with our family there for Christmas this year, but are hoping and praying we can next year!

How to warm wine in a Slow Cooker

This Vin Chaud is suited to dinner parties, after skiing or sledding, and even fancy events. To make this Vin Chaud in a slow cooker for easy serving and displaying, please follow the tips below:

To make this Vin Chaud in a slow cooker, combine all ingredients, stirring to dissolve any sugar you may have added.

Place the lid on the slow cooker and turn to high – cook until piping hot, and then set slow cooker to low to keep your wine served warm throughout the night.

Hot Wine Recipe Directions and Variations

The great thing about this simple mulled wine is that it is a great mulled wine base. You can easily take this recipe and build on it to make it your own – feel free to add in lots of different fruits, herbs, spices, liquors, and juices to find a blend you love.

How to Make French Mulled Wine

To make this recipe, we will need the following ingredients:

Red Wine (2 bottles): Forms the base of the drink, providing body and depth. A medium- to full-bodied wine like Merlot or Grenache works best, offering fruity and earthy undertones.
Brandy or Applejack (1 cup): Adds warmth and a subtle kick of alcohol while enhancing the depth of flavors. Applejack can lend a touch of apple sweetness.
Orange Juice (1 cup): Balances the richness with a bright, citrusy acidity that lightens the flavor profile.
Half an Orange, Sliced Thin: Infuses the wine with fresh, aromatic citrus oils and juices while adding a decorative garnish.
Cardamom Pods (4): Lends a warm, slightly spicy, and floral note that enhances the complexity of the drink.
Cinnamon Sticks (2): Provides a sweet, woody spiciness that's quintessential for mulled wine and synonymous with holiday warmth.
Star Anise (4): Adds a licorice-like sweetness and an elegant aroma, giving the wine a distinctively sophisticated flavor.
Whole Cloves (6): Contributes a bold, warm spiciness that complements the other spices.
Cranberries (½ cup, optional): Add a tart, fruity flavor and a festive pop of color. They can also lightly sweeten the wine as they infuse.

Once you've gathered your ingredients, we will use the following process:

Mix. In a large pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Heat. Reduce heat immediately after boiling to low and let simmer slowly as you serve the wine.
Serve. Serve in Christmas mugs and add a cranberry, orange slice, and cinnamon stick if desired, and enjoy!

Kitchen notes

To make your own custom Red Wine Mulled Wine, try some of these tips:

Wine to Brandy Ratio for Mulled Wine: For every bottle of red wine, add ½ cup of brandy, whiskey, or bourbon to the large pot.

Sugar Ratio for Mulled Wine: Use 1 cup of sugar – but that can be granulated sugar or a sugary juice.

Add Herbs: Add fresh herbs like rosemary for a twist.

Add Fruit: Slice apples thin and add them to the pot. Oranges can also be used, but remove after a while as the pith can make it bitter as it cooks. Throw in a handful of ripe berries.

Watch Sugar with Mulling Spices: If using Aspen Mulling spices (our favorite!!), you can use only that in place of spices and sugar as it already contains sugar.

Quick Boil, Then Simmer: Bring to a quick boil and then immediately reduce heat. No matter your ingredients, you want them to boil, then keep them simmering for warm wine that lasts all night long.

How to serve Vin Chaud

This Vin Chaud recipe is gorgeous for parties – it is so easy and good, but it is also pretty and can make for a solid custom cocktail.

We serve mulled red wine in easy to hold mugs or cups (make sure you don't use something that will burn guests hands while holding the hot liquid), and we like to top them off with an orange slice or a twist of orange peel, a couple fresh cranberries, and a cinnamon stick in each cup when serving for a party – it seems prettier and more fun. You could also serve each with a star anise if desired.

When serving this hot wine at home, our husband and we make a pot and keep it slowly simmering on the stove throughout the night (which makes the house sound fantastic) and hang a ladle off the side of the pot so we can top ourselves up a bit whenever we need.

This mulled wine is suited to a cozy night in, or a big festive party!

More Christmas Market Travel

To see more of our favorite travels around Paris and to European Christmas Marketswhere this recipe was inspired by, please check out some of our travel recaps:

Other Mulled Wine Recipes You'll Love

If you love this good Vin Chaud French Mulled Wine recipe as much as we do, check out some of our other favorite easy mulled cider and wine recipes:

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Ingredients

2 standard 750ml bottles red wine*
1 cup brandy or applejack
1 cup orange juice
Half an orange, sliced thin
4 cardamom pods
2 sticks of cinnamon
4 star anise
6 whole cloves
½ cup cranberries, optional

Method

In a large pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat immediately after boiling to low and let simmer slowly as you serve the wine.
Enjoy!