what is sherry vinegar? Spain is a country that has a very particular product that is used to season food, and that enjoys a lot of fame thanks to its flavor and quality. It also has its own Denomination of Origin Sherry Vinegar that protects and protects the production of this fascinating companion.
Sherry vinegar has a high aromatic concentration that makes it a versatile product that has always been considered a star condiment of universal stature that is always present on the table of thousands of people. Sherry vinegar is also a unique product, with its own personality that makes it stand out among the great vinegars of the world, because sherry is very special and adds flavor to everything it touches.
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what is sherry vinegar?
Sherry vinegar is a culinary accompaniment resulting from the acetification of the alcohol contained exclusively in the wines of the Marco de Jerez, either fortified or unfortified. As we all know, vinegar is produced by the action of acetic bacteria on a hydroalcoholic solution, so sherry is a perfect ingredient to become and achieve a perfect condiment that can last for years. That is why sherry vinegar is made from the acetic fermentation of the wines of the Marco de Jerez.
The result is also aged for years in American oak casks, following the traditional procedure of criaderas and soleras that the base wine used for its preparation carries. For this purpose, base wines that have already been fermented but not yet fortified or fortified, i.e. those that have not yet had wine alcohol added, are used. But it can also contain aged wines already fortified and classified within the different types of Sherry Wines such as Manzanilla, Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, etc.
Types of sherry vinegar
Given its qualities, aging and sweetness today there are five different types of sherry wines. These are the product of a careful elaboration process that makes sherry vinegars stand out from the others on the market.
Sherry vinegar
This is a vinegar made from sherry wine with a residual alcohol content of less than 3% and a total acetic acidity of more than 70%. It is aged in wooden casks for between 6 months and 2 years, has an amber color with mahogany touches, a subtle flavor with hints of dried fruits that make it pleasant and is ideal for the preparation of reductions, sauces and marinades.
Reserve sherry vinegar
This vinegar has a residual alcohol content of less than 3% and a total acetic acidity of over 70%. It is aged for two to ten years in wooden casks, has a beautiful mahogany color with bright amber highlights, powerful aroma loaded with hints of vanilla, nuts and wood, which makes it the perfect companion for dressings and cold soups.
Gran Reserva sherry vinegar
This vinegar has a residual alcohol content of less than 3% and a total acetic acidity of more than 80%. Its aging period in wooden casks exceeds ten years, so it has an intense mahogany color with aromas of nuts and spices, which makes it the perfect ally when accompanying salads and baked vegetables.
Pedro Ximénez Sherry Vinegar
This vinegar has a residual alcohol content of less than 4% and a total acetic acidity of more than 60%. It is made by blending it with the sherry wine from which it inherits its name, it has an intense dark mahogany color, it is sweet on the palate as well as smooth and unctuous with notes of licorice, raisined fruits and a touch of roasted, which makes it ideal for meat dishes, cheese salads and desserts.
Muscatel sherry vinegar
This vinegar has a residual alcohol content of less than 4% and a total acetic acidity of more than 60%. It is a semi-sweet vinegar made with Muscatel wine, with a vivid amber to mahogany color, velvety texture and fresh notes of raisined fruits that make it perfect to accompany salads and dressings containing fruits and citrus fruits.
Benefits of sherry vinegar
Sherry vinegar is not only a condiment used to dress meals, its consumption in an adequate and moderate way also allows us to generate benefits that enhance our health, which is why knowing them will make us value it much more.
- Antioxidant: As it is made from wine, it provides antioxidant properties that fight free radicals.
- Strengthens bones: The consumption of sherry vinegar allows us to fix calcium in our bones, which contributes to the strengthening of our bone mass.
- Diuretic: It is rich in potassium, which allows to purify the body through the production of urine.
- Controls blood pressure: Thanks to its natural properties and its composition in acetic acid, it regulates blood pressure while favoring the cardiac system.
- Levels glucose levels: Its natural components allow to better digest the sugars we digest in meals, which allows to regulate glucose levels.
what are the properties of sherry vinegar?
Sherry vinegar turns out to be a seasoning that benefits the organism, since it has natural properties typical of its elaboration method. As well as of its main base that contribute to improve our quality of life at the same time that it favors the flavor of our dishes.
- Contains polyphenols
- It is rich in minerals such as sodium, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium
- Provides calories
- Contains carbohydrates
- Contains proteins
- It is an antioxidant
- Contains resveratrol
how to make sherry vinegar?
Sherry vinegar is aged in oak casks, which gives it unique and unrepeatable qualities, since it comes from the wine of the same name and its time spent in wood gives it fascinating characteristics.
The vinegar produced and destined for bottling is obtained from the row of barrels located at ground level, which are known as soleras. These contain the oldest vinegars, and it is here that a minimum quantity is extracted and replaced by a slightly younger vinegar from the row of butts, also known as criadera.
This process is known as refreshing and is carried out consecutively, which allows repeating the operation of extraction and substitution from row to row until the last one is reached. This type of aging method is perfect for the acetic bacteria to optimize their slow work, so that during aging, the liquid that was once wine acquires a higher degree of acidity, concentration and of course greater complexity.
The sherry vinegars are aged in 500-liter sherry casks made of American oak and previously filled with sherry wine. This process takes time, which can even exceed 20 years, so we get a product that comes from wine with exceptional properties when combined in a dish.
