How do most people in the food business pick vinegars to stick on their shelves? In our experience they start with the look. Nice bottle? Nice herbs inside? They'll take it. In our experience all that's likely to get you is a nice centerpiece for your dining room table. What we want in a vinegar is what we want in all our food: flavor and integrity. How do we find it? We go with three qualifying questions:
Three Keys to Spotting a Great Vinegar
1) Was it made from great wine?
The better the wine, the better the vinegar. Best vinegars of all are vinegars made from varietal wines. Check out our vinegar list and you'll see some pretty well known names: Cabernet and Cava (Spanish champagne), Chardonnay and Sherry; Rioja and Pinot Noir.
2) Was it converted naturally?
The slower the converstion from wine to vinegar the better it'll be. If you're looking for superior vinegar, you want one that's been made using the traditional, all-natural Orléans process. Skip the stuff made using the all-too-common industrial shortcuts. We want the old-fashioned stuff. Wooden barrels are partially filled with wine. Holes are drilled to allow air to move naturally through the barrel. Bacteria known as "acetobacters," convert the alcohol in the wine into water and acetic acid. 4 to 6 weeks later you've got good vinegar. The flavor is fuller, it's smoother, and it just plain tastes better.
3) How long was it aged?
The longer the aging, the better the vinegar. As in the crafting of great bread, well-aged cheddar, and so many of the world's best foods, time is a critical ingredient. How long has most vinegar been aged? Not very. Check our vinegar list and you'll find most everything we've got has a minimum of six months in wood. Why? The longer the aging, the smoother the flavor, the softer the edges, the more enjoyable it is to eat. Many have six years, some 25, 40, even 200 years of aging.
All told, these are the rare antiques of the vinegar world-hard to find, often one of a kind, but the something really special to put on your salad. We've put together an incredible selection of vinegars from around the world that meet all three of these critical criterion. Don't be fooled by fancy bottles and lovely herbs-at Zingerman's the flavor comes first.
Why Buy Better Vinegar?
The same reason you've decided to try better olive oil, better parmesan cheese and better bread. It tastes better. And if you're going to eat a salad every day, why not dress it with the most flavorful vinegar you can find.
Can you really tell the difference?
Absolutely. If you're willing to stop for a second and taste-test, you will most definitely discern the difference between good, traditionally made vinegar and its commercial counterpart. Put my personal favorite of the moment-the Banyuls vinegar-up against standard supermarket stock and it's like putting pre-grated supermarket parmesan up against Parmigiano Reggiano. Not a fair fight. Better vinegar tastes ten times better. We guarantee it.