The Olive Oil Hunter News #102

Spotlight on Red Wine Vinegar

The finest vinegar comes from the finest grapes

The history of red wine vinegar dates back to Roman times, but it was arguably the French who made it a culinary staple when, as legend has it, wine abandoned in the area of Orléans turned to vinegar on its own. The city became the de facto vinegar capital of France, and the Orléans method of barrel-aging was adopted around the world. But the story did not stop there.

Travel about 475 miles south to Banyuls-sur-Mer, one the western side of the Mediterranean, the birthplace of spectacular red wines and of the spectacular red wine vinegar called Vinaigre de Banyuls. This is where the Pyrénées mountain range meets the sea, where groves are planted in terraces on slopes, going from the seaside inland to the base of valleys. This approach maximizes what little rain the region gets. Even more awe-inspiring, these vineyards have existed for more than 2,600 years, from the time of the Phoenicians. Over the course of centuries, the Greeks, the Celts, and the Romans added their knowhow to the way the grapes were cultivated, passing down their secrets from generation to generation. In the 13th century, the Knights Templar arrived and introduced outdoor barrel aging to the wine-making process to impart even greater aromatic richness. It’s the combination of long aging outdoors and then indoors that helps give character to Banyuls wines and, in turn, to their vinegars.

Similar to the Italian designation accorded to Modena, this region has been granted the French certification of appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) or controlled designation of origin. Growers must follow set standards designed to ensure their grapes will have certain unique characteristics based on terroir, the French term that comes from the word terre, or land. It’s used to describe the impact on a crop—most often grapes—of the climate and temperature, the soil and topography, other environmental conditions, and farming techniques. For wine in general, these elements all greatly, and often uniquely, impact aroma and flavor. For Banyuls in particular, both the wine and the vinegar made from it, the terroir imparts a distinctive sweetness.

To create the Vinaigre de Banyuls included in my new vinegar collection, naturally sweet Banyuls wine is first slowly aged under the hot Mediterranean sun for three years in barrels the French call demi-muids. Then comes the acetification process—when the mother is added to the wine to turn it into vinegar. The resulting vinegar is then aged for two more years in small French oak barrels in the vinegar cellar to achieve its perfect aromatic palette.

Food Pairings

Enjoying red wine vinegar

Red wine vinegar enhances seasonal mixed greens and salads with fruits or with Roquefort and other blue cheeses; warm potato salad; grilled vegetables; cooked greens like kale; and assorted melons. Use it in a vinaigrette to dress antipasto to balance the fattiness of the meats, salade Niçoise, and a Lyonnaise-inspired salad with lardons, frisée, and eggs. It also brightens braises and stews, and is great for quick pickled onions or other vegetables.

Healthy Kitchen Nugget

Versatile vinegar

Vinegar is exceptional in so much more than salads. Here are two of my favorite ways to cook with red wine vinegar:

Deglazing. Use vinegar instead of (or even in addition to) wine to deglaze a pan and turn the fond—those dark, flavorful bits that collect on the bottom—into a rich and quick sauce.

Marinating. Because vinegar is acidic, it helps break down and tenderize protein fibers for juicier grilled meat.