Made from red or white wine, wine vinegar is the most commonly used vinegar in Mediterranean countries and central Europe. As with wine, better quality wine vinegars are matured in wood for up to twenty years and exhibit complex, mellow flavors. Wine vinegar usually has lower acidity than white or cider vinegars. Some of the more premium wine vinegars are made from wine varieties such as champagne, sherry or pinot grigio. To create our Italian Barrel-Aged Red Wine Vinegar, red wine grapes are hand-pressed and sent to ferment in stainless steel. After reaching the desired alcoholic level, the wine is transferred to old oak barrels to undergo the conversion from alcohol to acetic acid. The final product is vinegar, which then continues to mature in the oak barrels--a process that can take up to three years.

Imported from Modena, Italy, home of our balsamic vinegars, this wine vinegar is a prime example of the most famous vinegar in the world.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:

Red wine vinegar is among the most versatile on the market. Use it in cooking, dressings, marinades, and pickling. Finely chop fresh carrots and store in a sealed container with our Barrel-Aged Red Wine Vinegar and a generous sprinkling of fresh dill for easy "pickled" carrots appropriate for a terrific Mediterranean salad. Soak paper-thin slices of red onion in this vinegar and keep on hand for all kinds of salads. Splash it over crisp field greens or steamed asparagus, or use it when stir-frying fresh vegetables for zero-fat dishes. When whisked with Dijon mustard and our Greek Koroneiki extra virgin olive oil, the result is aromatic vinaigrette. For a sweet, tart and savory appetizer, drizzle a combination of the Barrel-Aged Red Wine Vinegar and our Italian Peranzana or Crushed Rosemary extra virgin over prosciutto-wrapped melon.

Modena, Italy