Red wine vinegar is a pantry staple that’s used to deglaze pans, marinate meat or lentil soup, but it’s also delightful in lighter applications like dressing a green salad. Red wine vinegar is one of our go-to ingredients for transforming recipes from good to great, but what really is it, anyway? And what can you use as a substitute for red wine vinegar?
What Is Red Wine Vinegar?
Dating back to ancient times, red wine vinegar is simply produced by fermenting red wine. During the fermentation process, the alcohol in the wine turns into acetic acid, which makes it sour and gives it the potent scent and flavor of vinegar. There’s a wide range of red wine vinegars available on the market, and not all are created equal. Just like red wines, red wine vinegars taste different from each other depending on all sorts of factors, from the grape variety to the length of fermentation. It can take some experimentation to find a brand that you love. Think of choosing a red wine vinegar as a similar experience to choosing a red wine; you want something with a full flavor and a pleasant balance of fruitiness and acidity. We’re partial to the specialty brand Valpolicella, as well as the grocery store favorite Pompeian.
Comments
Post a Comment