Vin de Noix

                                                                         Vin de Noix    

Vin de Noix is an aperitif made from green walnuts and red wine. It is popular in the Dordogne region of France where lots of walnuts are grown. The hardest part of making it is finding the green walnuts. You can find them on walnut trees in the middle of June. The nuts must be immature so that you can easily cut them into quarters. Then you toss them into inexpensive red wine and flavorings and let the magic happen.

4 pounds of green walnuts, about 35-40, quartered

5 liters (7 bottles) inexpensive red wine

1 kg (2 lbs) sugar

1 liter vodka, brandy, or eau de vie

2 cinnamon sticks, broken

2 split vanilla beans

zest of 2 oranges

Optional-7 whole cloves

Place all ingredients into a non-reactive container with a lid and store in a cool dark place for 6 to 8 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain through cheesecloth. Taste and adjust the sugar if you want the vin de noix sweeter. Bottle it and store it in a cool dark place until at least early winter. The longer you age the vin de noix the better. If you can make yourself wait a year the flavor is better but waiting that long can be hard.