A luxurious Après-Ski drink
When Le Chef was beginning his culinary career in France he used to work all summer long on his native French Riviera, an iconic tourist destination for the wealthy. In the winter, when the jet set flocked to chic ski resorts, Le Chef was employed in the epicenter of the French Ski scene, the town of Courchevel. Working at the Michelin starred restaurant, Le Kintessence at Le K2 Palace, taught my husband all about refined French Alpine cooking... and drinking! Arguably the birthplace of the Après-Ski , Courchevel has a thriving social scene. They take their Après-Ski very seriously and like to add a touch of luxury whenever possible - like with the addition of Grand Marnier to their Vin Chaud recipe.
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Vin Chaud, also known as Mulled Wine, is a classic Après-Ski drink. This winter Le Chef taught me how to make his recipe that he learned while working in Courchevel and I don't think I will ever go back to regular mulled wine again!
Ingredients for Le Chef's Vin Chaud au Grand Marnier Recipe
- 1 bottle Red Wine (no need for an expensive bottle - go with something fruity)
- ¼ cup Grand Marnier
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 whole star anis
- 3 orange peels (equivalent of about ½ of an orange skin)
- 4 tablespoons of Brown Sugar (the cheaper your wine the more sugar you will want to add)
Instructions:
Pour the entire bottle of wine into a sauce pan. Add the spices and orange peel and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Lower the heat to medium low and let simmer (very lightly) for 10 minutes. At this point your home will smell absolutely delicious!
Bring the heat down to low and add in the brown sugar. Gently stir until dissolved. Turn off the heat.
With a slotted spoon, remove the spices and orange peel and discard.
Add the Grand Marnier. Gently whisk for 30 seconds then let rest on the stove without heat for 5 minutes.
Serve into tempered glasses (like my favorite Duralex tumblers) or mugs. Enjoy immediately!
Other French Cocktail recipes you will love
Piscine Pêche - A Champagne and peach liqueur cocktail made famous by the town of Saint-Tropez.
Kir Royale - a wonderful special occasion cocktail made with Champagne and Crème de Cassis
FAQ
Oui - choose a fruity, young red wine that you'd enjoy drinking on its own; a simple Beaujolais or similar works beautifully. I suggest avoiding overly tannic or oaked wines, as the spices and Grand Marnier shine best with something lively.
Absolutely - the cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise and orange peels are what give the vin chaud its enchanting aroma and warming depth. These are the notes that transform it from a warmed wine to an elegant French-style hot cocktail.
Add the Grand Marnier after you've gently simmered and sugar-sweetened the wine, then whisk for about 30 seconds and let it rest for 5 minutes off the heat. This ensures the orange-liqueur spirit retains its fragrance and brightness.
Oui - you can adjust the brown sugar to your taste. The recipe uses 4 tablespoons of brown sugar but notes that if your wine is less sweet you may want more, so taste and adjust gently.
Learn more about the French art of L'Apéro in this blog post.
Have you tried this Vin chaud au Grand Marnier recipe? Let me know! I would love to hear from you.
Au plaisir,
Le Chef's Wife
ABOUT LE CHEF'S WIFE
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (5 and 2) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
Look inside our Kitchen with this recent Washington Post Article. We were recently featured on the TODAY SHOW for our recipes of French Onion Soup Gratinée and Moelleux au Chocolat. You can watch our full segment here:
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Vin Chaud au Grand Marnier Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20 minutes
Description
Vin Chaud, also known as Mulled Wine, is a classic Après-Ski drink. This winter Le Chef taught me how to make his recipe that he learned while working in Courchevel and I don't think I will ever go back to regular mulled wine again!
Ingredients
- 1 bottle Red Wine (no need for an expensive bottle - go with something fruity)
- ¼ cup Grand Marnier
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 whole star anis
- 3 orange peels (equivalent of about ½ of an orange skin)
- 4 tablespoons of Brown Sugar (the cheaper your wine the more sugar you will want to add)
Instructions
- Pour the entire bottle of wine into a sauce pan.
- Add the spices and orange peel and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Lower the heat to medium low and let simmer (very lightly) for 10 minutes. At this point your home will smell absolutely delicious!
- Bring the heat down to low and add in the brown sugar. Gently stir until dissolved. Turn off the heat.
- With a slotted spoon, remove the spices and orange peel and discard.
- Add the Grand Marnier. Gently whisk for 30 seconds then let rest on the stove without heat for 5 minutes.
- Serve into tempered glasses (like my favorite Duralex tumblers) or mugs. Enjoy immediately!
Cameron says
I was wondering if it is at all possible to store mulled wine after cooking and making it in batches to simmer per guest. I am a bartender curating new ideas and cocktails for our January-March Late Winter/Early Spring menus. Merci Beaucoup!
lechefswife says
Hello Cameron, I would think so but I don't want to lead you wrong as this recipe is intended for home consumption - there are not preservation agents in it. Good luck with your cocktail menu!
Carryn McLean says
I love mulled wine. However as Christmas here in Australia us too hot for mulled wine, we have it on a winter’s night. My birthday is in June, our winter, we is a treat I enjoy. I must try it with Grand Marnier.
lechefswife says
Bonjour Carryn, thank you for your comment! I highly suggest adding Grand Marnier to mulled wine - it is so decadently delicious. Right now would be a perfect season for you to be making Les Petits Farcis and Salade Niçoise! Bon Appétit!