Vin fiert is the unofficial drink of the Romanian winter, poured at every Christmas market and snowy fair from the fanciest restaurant to the corner tavern. Part of a pan-European mulled-wine tradition that stretches back to antiquity, the Romanian version leans on plenty of black peppercorns and citrus, warming hands and spirits against the Carpathian cold.
Warm, sweet and spiced, the red wine softened by sugar and perfumed with cinnamon, clove and bright orange peel, with a surprising peppery tingle on the finish. It smells of Christmas before you even taste it.
Gentle heating below boiling extracts the aromatic oils from the spices and peel without driving off the alcohol or turning the wine bitter. The sugar both balances the wine's tannins and rounds the spices into a smooth, warming drink.
Variations
Sweetened with honey, spiked with a shot of plum brandy, made with star anise or ginger, a non-alcoholic version with grape juice
On the Palate
Where Vin Fiert sits in the Romanian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6
How it's made
8 steps · 5 min
- 12 min
Pour red wine into a pot and set over low heat.
- 22 min
Add sugar or honey to taste and stir to dissolve.
- 31 min
Drop in cinnamon sticks and whole cloves.
- 41 min
Add strips of orange and lemon peel.
- 51 min
Add a few black peppercorns for the characteristic Romanian warmth.
- 618 min
Heat gently without boiling, so the alcohol is preserved, for fifteen to twenty minutes.
Watch outKeep it steaming but never let it boil — hold it below a simmer for the full 15-20 minutes so the alcohol stays and the wine doesn't turn bitter.
- 72 min
Taste and adjust the sweetness and spice.
- 83 min
Strain into mugs and serve hot with a slice of orange.
