Wine vinegar can be made from white, red, or rose wine. Red wine vinegar is made by fermenting red wine, then straining and bottling it. It's often aged before bottling to reduce the intensity of the flavor.
Of the wine vinegars, red wine tends to be punchier, with more vibrant grape flavor. The flavor is hot and robust, the opposite of delicate.
Red wine vinegar ranges in color from pale pink to maroon, depending on which wine is used. Good-quality red wine vinegar has a pronounced tangy, rounded taste and is aged for several months in wooden barrels; cheaper varieties with a sharp, tart taste are produced quickly by brewing red wine with vinegar-soaked beechwood shavings.
Wine becomes mellow when aged. It usually lasts 6 months or longer when stored at cool, steady temperature (50-60°F). This undisturbed rest allows suspended solids to fall, making the vinegar clear and bright.
Red wine vinegar is generally used in food preparation, in pickling processes, vinaigrettes, and other dressings. It may be used in sauces such as mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise. It is often used as a condiment. These vinegars make the best salad dressings.
Red Wine Vinegar
