|
|
 |
| The vinegar varieties – versatile taste compositions |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The quality of vinegar fundamentally depends on the starting material. A poor wine never makes good vinegar.
- True wine vinegar exclusively comprises wine made from grapes. Depending on the alcohol content in the wine the acetic acid level is between six and ten per cent. Many renowned vineyards now also produce fine vinegars. Red wine vinegar generally has a stronger flavour than white wine vinegar.
- Spirit vinegar, also known as table vinegar, is produced from diluted spirits, which have been distilled from sugar cane molasses, cereals or potatoes. As this vinegar tends to have a neutral taste, the lack of aroma is often corrected afterwards. It is mainly used as pickling vinegar in industry.
- Wine-flavoured vinegar or wine-spirit vinegar is made from a combination of spirit vinegar with 20 to 40 % wine vinegar.
- Fruit vinegar can be produced with all fruit varieties in principle. The most common variety is apple vinegar (also known as cider vinegar), which is characterised by its mild, fruity taste and its high vitamin and mineral content. In addition, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries or blackcurrants are often used as a basis. Due to the relatively low alcohol content of fruit wines the acid level of fruit vinegar is usually only around 5 %.
- Aromatic, fruit, herb and spice vinegars are created by adding extracts of herbs, fruit extracts and essences of spices to a vinegar base (e.g. white wine vinegar). Raspberry vinegar is also given its aroma at a later point in time as raspberries lend their aroma to the vinegar during the fermentation process.
- Sherry vinegar is regarded as the finest Spanish vinegar. During manufacture sherry wine is injected with acetobacters and stored for longer periods in wooden vats. The price is dependent on the quality of the sherry and on the storage period.
- Rice vinegar is made from rice wine distillate and has a mild taste. It is indispensable in Chinese and Japanese cuisine, in sushi preparation for example.
- Aceto balsamico tradizionale comes from Italy and is made using the small and very sweet white trebbiano grapes. It is stored for several years in various wooden vats, whereby it assumes their taste and becomes thicker. In this respect the sequence of wood types (oak, chestnut, cherry, ash, mulberry) plays a very important role. The dark brown vinegar tastes spicy and somewhat sweet. The longer it has been stored, the better the taste and the more expensive the vinegar.
- Aceto balsamico di Modena does not have the same sophisticated taste as "tradizionale". In contrast to the "authentic" balsamic vinegar it often contains wine vinegar or fermented grape must.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
