Vin d’Orange
Provence’s homemade bitter-orange apéritif: wine steeped for weeks with oranges, sugar and vanilla, served chilled.
Contains alcohol. For adults of legal drinking age; please drink responsibly.
Ingredients
- 750 ml dry rosé or white wine (or a light red)
- 3 Seville (bitter) oranges, or 2 sweet oranges plus 1 lemon, unwaxed, quartered
- 150 g Sugar
- 120 ml eau-de-vie, brandy or vodka
- 1 vanilla pod, split
- 1 Cinnamon stick (optional)
Method
- Put the orange quarters in a large, clean glass jar with the vanilla and cinnamon.
- Stir the sugar into the wine and spirit until dissolved, then pour over the oranges so they are covered.
- Seal and leave in a cool, dark place for about 6 weeks, giving the jar a gentle shake every few days.
- Strain through a sieve lined with muslin or a coffee filter and pour into clean bottles. Taste and add a little more sugar if it is too bitter.
- Serve well chilled in small glasses as an apéritif, or over ice with a slice of orange.
Tips
- It is around 15–18% alcohol, stronger than wine: serve small measures.
- Seville oranges are in season in January and February; that is when Provençal families make it.
Sources
Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:
Open Vin d’Orange in Nouns Cooking