Vinegar is very popular in cooking, and you will probably have used it in the kitchen before. With the inclusion of a splash of vinegar, it gives extra flavor to your food.
What flavor you get, though, all depends on the different types of vinegar that you can buy. Some will offer a sour and tangy flavor, as you might typically expect from vinegar, while others can give you a buttery-type taste or a malty flavor.
However, you may have heard of another type: red wine vinegar. As you can guess, this will give your food hints of the flavor of red wine, hot and delicious. If you love your wine, then you’ll love tasting it in your food.
However, the benefits of using red wine vinegar don’t just stop with taste, because it can also help your health.
However, there are plenty of different red wine vinegars available to buy on the market. This can make it difficult narrowing them down and finding the one that will be best for you.
Well, we’ve done the work for you! In our handy guide below, we’ve grouped together some of the best red wine vinegars that you can buy. With each one, we’ve included details on it and its taste, highlighting why it’s such a good choice.
In addition to that, we’ve also included with each of them a link to purchase from, making it even easier for you. You’ll be cooking with hints of delicious red wine in no time!
What Is Red Wine Vinegar?
Before we get into the list, it’s worth looking at what red wine vinegar actually is. As you can guess, it’s a type of vinegar that includes red wine in it.
This is done by fermenting the wine. The most known types of vinegar are usually quite sharp and tangy, making them not to everybody’s tastes. With this type, however, you get all the delicious tastes of red wine.
Though it is still a little tangy, it has a sweetness to it, as well as the taste you’d expect from red wine.
Why Should You Use Red Wine Vinegar?
Aside from the great red wine taste, using red wine vinegar can also have health benefits. Red wine itself has health benefits, so it is hardly surprising.
For one thing, the red wine vinegar could help to lower your blood sugar levels. On top of that, it could support some weight loss, because it increases your feeling of being full - as well as delaying hunger hormones from being released.
Additionally, it could help bacterial skin infections, as well as helping to lower a lot of different factors that can lead to heart disease.
With that being said, using red wine vinegar can also lead to some health problems. If you consume it every day, it could have negative effects.
Drinking an excess of vinegar can worsen some digestive issues, like nausea and heartburn, as well as potentially affecting some medications that are used for blood pressure and your heart.
That is because too much vinegar can lower your potassium levels, and can lead to lower blood pressure.
On top of that, vinegar is acidic and can therefore damage the enamel of your teeth. To try and stop this, rinse your mouth out after having vinegar each time.
Finally, red wine vinegar does have antioxidants that can help with chronic diseases - although we have to note that they don’t have nearly as many antioxidants as red wine itself.
This is because a lot of the antioxidant content from the original wine is lost during the process of fermentation.
Best Red Wine Vinegar
In the list below, we’re going to offer up the best red wine vinegars that you can buy. With each one, we’ll talk about what makes it great, as well as provide a link for you to buy it at.
OUR TOP PICK
This red wine vinegar from Pompeian is a zesty and delicious choice that is popular with plenty of customers. You can buy some for yourself at this link.
Part of its quality comes down to the fact that it is specially made by The Olive Oil People, part of Pompeian and renowned for the care and quality that they bring to their products.
As a result, this vinegar also pairs well with their oils, creating a perfect mixture should you wish to mix them up. This is 100% farmer crafted, so you know it’s in good hands.
As for the taste, this red wine vinegar will give you a fruity and bold flavor, full of zest. If you like red wine, then you’ll like this, and that’s why it’s reportedly America’s best selling red wine vinegar.
Whether you’re marinating some meat, dressing a salad, or just using it as a sauce, this is a great pick for you.
You can also buy an Organic version, which is absolutely not genetically modified. This makes it a lot more authentic and natural, without sacrificing any of the great taste from the regular, non-organic version.
Both have proved very popular with customers, who praise the lovely and fruity flavor that it achieves while giving off just the right amount of sweetness too.
EDITORS CHOICE
This red wine vinegar from Acclaim lives up to its name - it’s acclaimed! With plenty of happy customers, this makes a great choice. You can buy it from here.
Straight away, you will notice a difference in size. The previous vinegar we looked at came in a bottle offering up 30 ounces of the stuff.
This is enough for a great deal of use before it needs replacing, but this particular vinegar comes in bottles even bigger - 128 ounces to be precise. That’s an entire gallon.
As a result, it’s more expensive, but certainly worth it for the amount you get. If you use it responsibly, and not every day, then you shouldn’t run out for a very, very long time.
This red wine vinegar is of the quality that you’d expect at a restaurant, and is used by plenty of professional, top level chefs. This is largely down to its quality.
The vinegar goes through a meticulous distilling process and is diluted to exactly 5% in acidity. With such care put into its creation, the end product is predictably high quality and delicious, proving popular in homes and restaurants all over the world.
But how does it taste, specifically? Well, when you enjoy some with your meal, you’ll notice a feeling of warmth wash over you, just as you would get from a good wine. On top of that, it is very fruity and rich, as you would expect.
It can be used for a variety of different purposes. For example, you can marinate your meat in it, or use it as a salad dressing.
On top of that, you can generally use it with your meats - and even your vegetables too (the vinegar is vegan also!). It can even be used with soup, if you want! Just make sure not to have it every day, because of the health reasons we listed earlier.
BEST VALUE
This organic red wine vinegar is a fancy choice for people wanting premium quality. You can buy some for yourself here.
One of the best features of this particular red wine vinegar is the fact that it’s organic, without anything in it being genetically modified. This means that the vinegar is a lot more natural and authentic for you to enjoy.
On top of that, this one is also gluten free. If you have a gluten intolerance or allergy, it should be okay to use this version of red wine vinegar.
It all comes together to make a vinegar that is healthy. This is helped by the way that it's made, too. Liokareas make their red wine vinegar with superior, high end ingredients, meaning you get the best of the best.
On top of that, they use a fermentation process that is artisanal, helping to keep the best nutritional value possible. Red wine vinegar is already good for your health, as long as you don’t use it on a daily basis, and this make is even healthier.
You can enjoy this vinegar with plenty of different meals. It works brilliantly with meats like pork and beef, but goes just as well with vegetables if you don’t eat meat.
They provide both with a heart flavor and the type of warmth that you would usually get from drinking some red wine on its own. On top of that, they’re great for a salad, adding a flavor and frutiness that it wouldn’t normally have otherwise.
RUNNER UP
This is another type of red wine vinegar that is organic, which is a great benefit to you. You can buy a bottle for yourself by clicking here.
The label also proclaims that this particular vinegar has been “oak aged”. This is a term that is used for the finest wines, where they are stored in an oak container for a good amount of time before they are put away into their bottles.
This is done to make the wine much better, even making its flavors and aromas. With this level of quality, you can expect a delicious red wine vinegar from Napa Valley Naturals.
On top of that, the quality is improved further through the use of quality ingredients. Better still, they’re all organic. This red wine vinegar is non GMO, meaning that it is more authentic and free of genetic modification.
Additionally, it is also free of gluten, making it much more accessible to a wider audience of customers - who can all enjoy its lovely tastes.
It has proven to be very popular with customers, with some stating that it tastes great with all the recipes they try it with, while others believe that it tastes great - crisp and fresh.
RUNNER UP
You will surely know the name Heinz, because they are famous for their tomato ketchup and baked beans, among many other delicious things.
Well, it turns out they’re great at making red wine vinegar too! If you want to buy from this trusted and renowned brand, you can click here.
This Heinz red wine vinegar is produced with grapes that have been grown in both Georgia and New York.
By including these grapes, from these specific sunny regions, it gives the vinegar a lovely burgundy look to it, as well as an enchanting aroma and a delicious taste.
The fact that this vinegar is used in lots of diners and restaurants, as are most Heinz products, speaks to its great quality. This is a vinegar of unique consistency, filled with great flavor and wonderful scents.
But what can you use it with? The answer is more “what can’t you use it with”! Heinz Gourmet Red Wine Vinegar is perfect for marinating your meat with, whether you’re cooking some chicken or beef.
It works for vegetarians too, though, because this red wine vinegar is perfect for acting as a salad dressing, giving it a robust kick of extra flavor. On top of that, it can be used for seafood dishes too, unlocking extra textures of lovely taste.
Whatever dish you’re cooking, this is bound to go with it - just don’t have it every day.
As for the customers, it is wildly popular, like most Heinz sauces and dressings. Whatever meals they have it with, many praise it as being tasty and having great flavor.
On top of all that, you get plenty for your money. It might cost more than a lot of other brands on here, but that’s because it’s a much bigger container - like the Acclaim red wine vinegar listed earlier, this comes in a 1 gallon jug.
If you use the vinegar at a responsible rate, then you’re unlikely to run out for a very long time, meaning you won’t have to go and buy another for a while - though we’re sure you will be coming back for more when you’re through at last!
RUNNER UP
This is possibly the best value you will get, costing very little per bottle, while still retaining a great taste. You can buy a bottle yourself by clicking here.
This particular type contains 5% acidity, as well as being certified Kosher - making it very accessible to people. You get an entire 16 ounce bottle for the ridiculously cheap price, meaning that you get more than enough to use on a whole variety of different meals.
And what meals can you be using it with? Plenty! Whether you’re marinating your meat in it, or using it as a dressing for your salads, this red wine vinegar goes with most dishes - and you can cook with it too.
Whatever you add it too, you’ll taste the warmth and zest of red wine.
It has proven very popular with customers, too, as being very flavorful and tasty - while managing to not be overly vinegary too. However, some people have noted that it’s not always going to be the very tastiest red wine vinegar out there.
When it costs this little, that may be predictable. But that isn’t to say that it isn’t very tasty, and it offers an extremely affordable and good-value product.
Buyers’ Guide
When you’re picking out a red wine vinegar for you, there will be certain things that you’ll want to look out for. You will have noticed a lot of these attributes popping up throughout the list, but we’re going to go into them here.
Organic And Non GMO
If you want your red wine vinegar to be natural and authentic, rather than genetically modified in some way, then you’ll want to make sure that it is listed as being organic and “non GMO”. Plenty of them are not, so it’s a case of looking for what you want.
Acidity
If you like your vinegar sharp, which not everybody does, then you’ll want to find a red wine vinegar that is higher in its acidity percentage. The ones that we have looked at today typically list 5%, but there are 6% ones on the market too.
It doesn’t tend to go higher than this, but the choice is yours whether you get the higher or lower.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Are Red Wine Vinegars Different From Vinegar?
Red wine vinegars obviously taste closer to red wine than regular vinegars, but they are also less sweet. Also, they are aged for a shorter time period.
Final Thoughts
Red wine vinegar is a delicious and healthy alternative to regular vinegars, offering a unique kick to your cooking. Use our guide to find the best one for you - and don’t use it daily!
My love of food extends challenges into cooking, trying new restaurants, and much more. That is why I’ve created The Gannet, as a place to teach people all my tips and tricks surrounding food and cooking. Don’t forget the food challenges!
So, stay a while and learn from someone that has been interested in food their whole life. Who knows, maybe I’ll meet you on a wall of fame somewhere.
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