French Walnut Wine or Vin de Noix

Published: Jul 12, 2025 Modified: Jul 12, 2025 Author: Alan Bergo

Vin de noix, also known as French walnut wine, or green walnut wine, is arguably the most well-known use of green walnuts in France. It's a cousin to the more well-known nocino, the Italian liquor made with green walnuts.

A glass of black walnut wine next to unripe green walnuts and fresh black walnut leaves. — Black walnut wine.

If you've made nocino and have wondered about the French version, I'm here to tell you that it's absolutely worth making, and I prefer it to nocino personally.

unripe green black walnuts in a bowl in spring — Unripe green walnuts. I harvest mine in June through early July. They should be soft enough they can be easily cut in half with a knife.

Vin de noix vs Nocino

Both liquors are made from alcohol mixed with green walnuts and, depending on the recipe, a small amount of spices, although some people might say no spices. Like with a lot of traditional recipes, there's plenty of variation.

Young green walnuts growing on a black walnut tree at the right stage for harvesting. — Young green walnuts.

The big differences here are in the amount of green black walnuts used to make the finished product, and in the alcohol(s) used.

A jar of Spanish Ratafia black walnut liquor — Spanish *(or Swiss?)* Ratafia is also made with unripe walnuts. Think of it as a cousin to vin de noix and nocino.

Nocino is traditionally made with a flavorless alcohol like everclear or vodka, with the most common recipes simply telling you to cover halved green walnuts with booze, letting them sit for a month before straining and adding simple syrup or maple in the case of my favorite recipe. Nocino is usually pretty strong, with an ABV of about 35-50%.

Vin de noix is made from red wine and spirits, typically brandy, meaning that it has a lower ABV than nocino. Also, the amount of walnuts in vin de noix is typically much less than nocino, which means the tannins aren't as strong.

Typically the ABV of finished walnut wine will be similar to sherry at around 15-20% alcohol from what I've seen. Personally I like the lower ABV of vin de noix as it makes it easier to sip, where nocino I have to mix.

Traditional Walnut Wine or Vin de Noix excerpt from a book — From The Flavors of Southwest France, by Patricia Wells.

Less walnuts=less aging and tannins

As vin de noix contains less nuts than nocino it's going to take less time to age and soften the tannins, but I don't usually taste either liqueur until the six month mark. Taste the liquor from time to time as it ages and you'll see what I mean.

Aging black walnut wine in a cupboard. — Age the walnut wine in a cool dark place.

How to Make Walnut Wine

First, and most important, is to harvest young walnut when they're tender enough to be cut with a paring knife. It's important that you meet no resistance when cutting. If the knife hits shell, it's too late-try again next year.

Cutting young unripe green walnuts in half. — The young nuts should be easy to cut.

Once the nuts are cut they're put into a large jar with the aromatics. Then you add red wine and brandy.

Cutting young unripe walnuts in half with a paring knife. — Halving the walnuts.

Adding red wine to a jar of green walnuts and aromatics to make walnut wine. — Adding red wine.

Adding brandy to a jar of green walnut wine. — Adding brandy.

Adding maple syrup to a jar of walnut wine. — Sweetening with maple syrup.

After 30 days of aging in a cool dark place, the mixture is strained, then poured back into the vessel to age.

Straining the aromatics from walnut wine before aging. — Straining out the aromatics.

At this point if you want you can simply bottle it too. It's traditional to use an old wine bottle.

A hand holding a bottle of homemade walnut wine. — Storing the liqueur in old wine bottles.

For those who haven't made it before, know that black walnuts turn things black. I use a container dedicated for vin de noix, since even glass can get stained black where the liquid touches the container. You want to use a glass container here, since metal could react with the alcohol.

Vin de Noix or Walnut Wine Stains in a jar — Note the "stains". Make sure your container is dedicated to making the liquor, or be prepared to scrub it well afterward.

Adapting The Recipe

Just like with nocino, there's lots of debate as to exactly what aromatics should go into vin de noix. After making both types of green walnut liquor for years now, the most important thing I can tell you is that less is more.

Vin de noix or Walnut Wine in a crystal decanter — A finished decanter of walnut wine.

Some traditional recipes call for nothing but liquor and walnuts, and there is nothing wrong with doing that, I actually recommend you try it once to really get the feel of the flavor that green walnuts add to liquors. Here's a few things I will add that are easy to work with.

Galium or Vanilla

Both Galium triflorum (a small handful fresh or dried) or a single vanilla bean will add a great undertone to either liquor.

Galium triflorum, a subtitute for sweet woodruff, tonka bean and vanilla — *Galium triflorum* or sweet woodruff will add notes of vanilla to the finished liquor. Use in moderation as it's strong.

You can add almond aromas by adding a big handful of dried meadowsweet flowers, or about 2 tablespoons of dried, ground chokecherries, plum or apricot kernels.

Meadowsweet flowers, fresh or dried, can add a great, subtle almond aroma.

Lemon Zest

I keep it to no more than two or three peels of lemon zest in a batch of the size I outline in this post. I do not add orange or lime zest.

Young Walnut Leaves

Yes walnut leaves. The most important thing when harvesting walnut leaves is to make sure that you're harvesting young, meristematic leaves. When you rub them, the leaves should give off a similar aroma to the green nuts. Older leaves won't have an aroma. I might add 10-15 leaves to a batch of wine.

Young black walnut leaves. Some older recipes use these.

Spices

Only a few allspice berries are added-a teaspoon or so. While it might be tempting to use cinnamon or cloves as some recipes for nocino and vin de noix call for it-resist the temptation.

Using Related Nuts

I don't know about English walnuts, but I have friends that have made this with different varieties of green hickory nuts, and I've personally made it with green butternuts / white walnuts. See a comparison of green black walnuts and butternuts below.

What Does Walnut Wine Taste Like?

The finished product is rich and complex. There's more noticeable tannins in vin de noix than nocino as it's made with red wine, but as they age, they'll round out a bit, giving it notes of leather, cherry wood, and tobacco.

If you didn't tell people what they're drinking, they'll probably just ask you where you got the great sherry. The amount of sugar varies in some recipes, but I recommend starting with the small amount listed in the recipe and moving up from there. It shouldn't taste like candy.

Vin de noix or Walnut Wine recipe — A small glass of vin de noix.

Enjoy it as you would sherry or port. The finished product is a great thing to break out when company comes over for a drink, or as an after dinner digestif. It's also good with cheese and charcuterie, and I've been known to add a splash to dishes or sauces where I might add sherry, eau de vie or port.

Finally, vin de noix is only one of many things unripe nuts can be used to make. For a full breakdown and explanation, check out my more in-depth post on cooking with green walnuts below.

Black walnut wine or vin de noix in a glass

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