Sherry Vinegar is vinegar made from Sherry wine, a wine made from Spanish Palomino white grapes produced in the province of Cadiz, Spain. Known by many as the "King of Vinegars", Sherry Vinegar, or Vinagre de Jerez, was first discovered by accident, when Sherry wines underwent acetic fermentation and turned into vinegar. Today, Sherry Vinegar is aged in the same way the Sherry wine is aged, in the traditional "Solera" method. Sherry Vinegar is aged in oak barrels previously used to store Sherry wines which allow the aroma of Sherry wine to permeate the vinegar. The maturation process ensures that the finished product is a mixture of vinegars that are several different ages. Oxygen and fresh air are imperative to produce vinegar that is deep in color and complex in flavor and aroma.
There are three types of Sherry Vinegar, each requiring a minimum period of aging in wood: Vinagre de Jerez is a Sherry Vinegar that is aged at least 6 months, Vinagre de Jerez Reserva is a Sherry Vinegar that is aged at least 2 years, while Vinagre de Jerez Gran Reserva is a Sherry Vinegar that has been aged at least of 10 years. Some Sherry Vinegars have been aged an astonishing 50 years, such as 50 Year Aged Sherry Vinegar by Columela!
Consejo Regular del Vino y Brandy de Jerez, a Council that regulates the production of Jerez wine and brandy, also regulates the production of Sherry Vinegar. Sherry Vinegar must be aged in oak wood for a minimum of six months, must be made within a certain production area within the province of Cadiz, and must have at least 7 degrees of acidity. Sherry Vinegar is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) vinegar which under European Union law, requires that Sherry Vinegar be produced using specific production methods and in the Cadiz region of Spain. Sherry Vinegar is one of only 3 vinegars in the world that share the PDO label.
igourmet offers Solera 77 Sherry Vinegar and 50 Year Aged Sherry Vinegar by Columela, both carefully crafted using the "Solera" method in Cadiz, Spain. Perfect as a gift or for personal use, these gourmet vinegars have intense flavors that enhance meats, vegetables, dressings and sauces. Don’t miss Spain’s answer to balsamic vinegar! When searching for gourmet food online, look no further than igourmet.com.