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Vinegars
are among the ‘simple secrets’ that every cook should have
in their arsenal of culinary tricks to enliven hot or cold
dishes with a zesty spark of flavor.
Some are dry, others are
pungent, some are light in color, others dark and tawny -
and a well stocked pantry should contain a varied
selection of tastes and styles. Make your salads sing by adding a
palate-refreshing, snappy vinegar. |

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Artigianale Balsamic
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Modena
Villa Manodori
Artigionale,
Cognento, Modena API 15
This
carefully-crafted balsamic is simply called ' Artigianale.'
It approaches a Tradizionale balsamic due to it's thick,
syrupy style, but it is less complex in flavor and not
aged for as many years. Aged in oak, chestnut and juniper
barrels, this is truly one of life’s great pleasures at an
affordable price. It is our runaway best-selling balsamic
vinegar, and a 'must have' for every creative cook. Made
for Massimo Bottura to use in his restaurant Osteria
Francescana in Modena, this balsamic is designed to hold
up to the heat of cooking without turning bitter. It is a
sweet and dense, syrupy balsamic that delivers volumes of
flavor. Aged about 12 years.
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Reggio Emilia
Sale!
F. Ili.Gorrieri,
L'Asè,
Reggio Emilia
This
wonderful
vinegar is completely hand-crafted from an artisan
producer in Reggio Emilia. The Gorrieri family grows and
harvests their own grapes, and even fashions their own
wooden aging barrels from oak, chestnut, mulberry, cherry
and juniper. This product boasts a warm brown color, a
thick consistency and a fruity aroma. Careful aging
respects the initial boiling and reduction of the must,
the net result of which is a sophisticated complex of
flavors that features harmonious sweet and tart notes.
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Condimenti Balsamic
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Modena
SALE! Acetum,
Fiaschetta,
Modena API 28
A
delicious and very reasonably-priced balsamic vinegar that is an
excellent choice for all salad uses. Complex in flavor,
light in body and very aromatic, this balsamic has been
given the top grade of FOUR LEAVES by the Assaggiatori
Italiani Balsamico – the Association of Balsamic Vinegar
Tasters in Modena, Italy. Acetum is a top balsamic
producer and one of our best sellers and favorite
condiment quality balsamics.
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The
AIB 4-leaves grading system.
The certified products are coded with a small colored
strip printed on the labels. The strip carries a Chef's
hat logo, with a varying number of vine leaves on top of
it, from one to four. The number of the leaves, and the
color of the strip, indicate to consumers the level of the
quality of the vinegar and the suggested usage. A neck-tag
on each bottle tells the differences among the 4
qualities, and the most appropriate usage for each of
them.
Four
Leaves (black strip) is an exceptionally thick
Balsamic, perfect for all the culinary usages
Three Leaves (gold strip) appears a s a vinegar
distinguished for its sweetness, with scents of wood and
spices, especially suggested for cheese and strawberries
Two Leaves (silver strip) has a higher syrupiness, and
it is suggested both for salads, and for BBQs and
marinating
One Leaf (red strip) category is marked by moderate
density, and it is the type of Balsamic Vinegar
essentially used for salads;
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ELSA,
Farmacia,
Solara, Modena API 17
This balsamic
vinegar is the first condimenti quality balsamic that we
carried in our store, and it has developed a very loyal
following over all these years. Fruity, fresh, and not too
syrupy, this vinegar is made from one variety of Lambrusco
grape and has a straight-forward, delicious flavor. Lots
of fruit, lots of style - try it and you will see why
customers buy 4-6 bottles of it at a time. Aged 6 years.
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ELSA,
Era, Solara, Modena API 17
Older sister
to the younger Elsa, this vinegar has elegance and a
full-bodied, polished flavor that comes from careful
blending and the refinement of age. Blended from 3
varieties of old-growth Lambrusco grapes, this balsamic
has a thicker body, more balance, and deep, rich
suggestions of raspberries, cherries, raisins and
chestnuts. Aged for 12 years
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Reggio Emilia
Acetaia San Giacomo,
Essenza,
Reggio Emilia
This small
bottle contains a precious quantity of lovely artisan-made
balsamic vinegar that possesses a seductive, syrupy
texture and nuanced flavors of nuts, berries and
chocolate. It is deep ruby-amber in color, and has
backbone and structure like a well-made wine.
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Cavalli, Scandiano, Reggio Emilia
Slightly
syrupy, full-flavored and harmonious in style, this
addictively well-balanced condimenti balsamic from
respected second-generation vinegar makers Roberto and
Giovanni Cavalli delivers a lot of style. Cavalli
balsamics are known for their brilliant balance of
sweetness and acidity.
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Wine Vinegar
Wine vinegars
are produced through a fermentation process in which a
viscous bacteria culture (acetobacter aceti or ‘ vinegar
mother ’) is used to convert the alcohol in the wine into
acetic acid, or vinegar. While the grape varieties used to
produce fine wine varies, vinegar-making requires that the
quality of the wine be of an excellent quality. While the
methods of cellaring the vinegars vary, the best and most
flavorful vinegars always begin as good quality wine.
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Acetaia
Cattani White Balsamic Vinegar,
Italy
organic
The white
balsamic vinegar produced by the Cattani family is
manufactured with sweet must deriving from selected,
organically grown grapes. A low-pressure cooking method
and natural fermentation of the vinegar maintains the
natural light color of the grapes. This vinegar is perfect
for those who desire a 'balsamic' flavor without the dark
color. Try on grilled vegetables, fish and white meats.
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Aged Gaia White Wine Vinegar,
Greece
This delicious
sweet white wine vinegar is made on Santorini Island from
an old-time grape variety named Assyrtiko that is
used to make Thalassitis wine. It is made by a unique
2-step reduction method that treats half of the grape mash
to a balsamic-style reduction ( sweet ) and the other half
of the mash to a traditional French-style wine vinegar
process ( sour ). Then the two batches of young vinegar
are combined and aged in oak casks for a total of 5 years
before bottling. The color of the vinegar is a lovely
shade of tawny-rose and the seductive taste suggests nuts,
dates, figs and raisins. Fans of later harvest grape
vinegars (as well as our Spanish sherry vinegars ) will
definitely want to add a bottle of our distinctive Greek
Gai’a vinegar to their vinegar pantry.
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Ginestre Montepulciano Rosé Wine Vinegar,
Italy
The Giovanelli
family has been producing this attractive and refreshing,
rosé-style wine vinegar from their own Montepulciano
d'abruzzo wine grapes for generations.
With a beautiful, garnet-blush color and light
flavor profile it is ideal in vinaigrettes, seafood dishes
and ceviches, and salads.
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Katz Wine Vinegars,
United Sates
Barrel-aged by the traditional
French Orleans Method
Albert
and Kim Katz are dedicated food producers in Napa,
California, who believe that vinegar is an essential
ingredient in finished dishes and cooked foods. That is
why they choose to craft their artisan vinegars by the
centuries-old French Orleans Method. This slow conversion
of wine to vinegar takes place over a period of several
months, in small oak barrels and imparts body, integrity
and most importantly, FLAVOR to the vinegar. We love these
vinegars and recommend them highly.

The Katz vinegar stone aging house.
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Katz
Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc AgroDolce Vinegar
AgroDolce in
Italian means "sweet and sour." This vinegar is made from
California-grown Sauvignon Blanc grapes that are
intentionally left on the vine for a month to 6 weeks
longer than if they were to be made into wine. This allows
the grapes to become "raisiny" and very concentrated
with sugars. Following the same tradition used to make the
great Sauternes of France, the unfermented juice from the
grapes is blended into Katz's proprietary wine
vinegar and slowly aged in oak barrels until it is a
balanced AgroDolce. The finished vinegar is almost
sherry-like in color and complexity with hints of vanilla
from the wood, sweet apricot, fig and pear from the
late-harvest grapes...yet all supported by a strict
backbone of crisp acidity from the vinegar base.
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Katz
Late Harvest Zinfandel
AgroDolce Vinegar
Kim & Albert
Katz continue to be fascinated with the idea of marrying
the sweetness and complexity of wine grapes that have been
left on the vine to concentrate the natural sugars, with
the bright and crisp acidity of authentic Orleans Method
vinegar. After almost a year in the making, they proudly
present their proprietary KATZ Late Harvest Zinfandel
AgroDolce Vinegar.
To achieve this AgroDolce or “sweet and sour” taste, they
harvest 100% North Coast Zinfandel from the Suisun Valley
in October when the brix (sugars) are over 30… very
concentrated and almost port-like. They then ferment the
sweet grapes into wine before adding it to their oak
barrels with the addition of some “mother” (the starter)
for its slow journey to becoming vinegar. The
finished vinegar has a low 5.8% acidity with a base of
residual sugar for a balanced AgroDolce. The garnet,
port-like color gives way to a “jammy” texture with lots
of plum and fresh berry overtones and a pleasant, crisp
finish.
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Katz
Sparking Wine
Vinegar
Kim and Albert
have changed the name of this distinctive vinegar, but
they still use the French Champagne Method to
create the California Sparkling Wine that they then
handcraft into a crisp white wine vinegar using the
traditional Orleans Method and barrel aging.
KATZ Sparkling Wine Vinegar, with its pristine
clarity, is reflective of its California sparkling wine
roots. It is made from 95% Suisun Valley, California
Chardonnay and a 5% mix of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Its
desirable acidity level of 6%, creates a tart, full-bodied
vinegar with “soft” edges and a fruity aroma. Offering
crisp and pleasant acidity, hints of vanilla from the oak
and subtle nuances of melon and cucumber in the finish,
its clean taste lends itself to a myriad of culinary uses.
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La
Cave de L’Abbe Rous Banyuls
Vinegar,
France
Banyuls vinegar
is made from one of France's famous vins doux
(sweet dessert wine ). Banyuls, like port, is a fortified
wine, and like sherry, Banyuls is maderized
(exposed to heat and oxidized as an intentional and an
integral part of the wine's character).
Banyuls wine (and vinegar) is made from 100% Grenache
grapes that grow in and around the town of Banyuls-sur-mer
( Langudoc-Rousillon) where the Pyrenées descend into the
Mediterranean above Spain.
This vinegar, made by La Cave de L’Abbe Rous, is aged for
five years in oak casks and retains all the qualities of
the wine, with hints of nuts, gingerbread, licorice,
coffee, orange peel, and vanilla.
It mixes well with walnut oil, and smooth, buttery extra
virgin olive oils. The natural sweetness of Banyuls
vinegar makes it an intriguing choice with duck, pork,
sausage, scallops and shrimp dishes.
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La
Masia Rioja Red Wine
Vinegar,
Spain
‘La Masia’
refers to the rustic farmhouse dwellings of Catalonia,
Spain where the preparation of traditional food has always
been an integral part of family and communal life. Our
Rioja vinegar is made exclusively from red wine from the
Rioja region of Spain, and is aged in oak barrels in the
time-honored way of all good, noble vinegar. This red wine
vinegar is superb and our all time favorite. It features a
deep, rich, garnet color and a distinctive, full-bodied
flavor. You may never use any other red wine vinegar
again!
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Martin Pouret, Wine Vinegars,
France
France has
always led the pack with well-made red and white wine
vinegar. And, importantly, our French wine vinegars are
made by the old-fashioned ‘Orléans method’ by Martin
Pouret and Co, in the Loire Valley. There, fermentation of
the wine proceeds slowly in wooden barrels ( without the
addition of heat ) for approximately three weeks. Then the
fledgling vinegar is cellared in wood for 6 months or
longer before being released for sale. Pouret is one of
the last traditional vinegar makers in France to make
vinegar in this slow, traditional way. These vinegars are
bright and pure with a great intensity of flavor.
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Philippe
Gonet Vin Jaune
Vinegar,
France
Vin Jaune wine is a specialty of the Jura region of
France, the mountainous region between Burgundy and
Switzerland, that is perhaps most famous for its Comté
cheese.
Made from 100% Savagnin grapes, Vin Jaune is aged
for more than six years in barrels that are not topped off
as the wine evaporates. Within the first two years, a
layer of yeast forms on the surface of the wine. This
layer, called the voile (veil), allows certain
flavors to develop under while controlling controlling the
amount of oxidation; it is similar to but different from
the effects of flor yeast in making Sherry. As with
Sherry, this step transforms the structure of the wine and
gives the wine its characteristic taste of nuts and
spices. Sherry wine if fortified, Vin Jaune is not.
For Vin Jaune vinegar, the wine is aged at least two more
years in oak barrels. The transformation into vinegar
takes about three months, but the entire production
process for Vin Jaune vinegar takes about 10 years. The
vinegar is light amber in color, with touches of green and
gold; its aroma contains notes of apple, citrus,
hazelnuts, walnuts and spices. The flavor is elegant,
subtle and pleasantly nutty/spicy.
Vin Jaune vinegar is an excellent accompaniment to rustic,
simple French country dishes. Picture a chicken salad with
walnuts and Comté cheese, or sautéed frogs legs with a
light sorrel-cream sauce, and you can imagine the place
Vin Jaune vinegar has in accentuating these dishes. It
also sparkles with sushi and sashimi, with baked white
fish or scallops dishes, and as a dipping sauce for
artichokes
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Philippe
Gonet Jurabalsam Jaune
Vinegar,
France
This could be described as Vin June the Elder.
Jurablasam is reduced (and therefore, concentrated), and
aged in casks for 10 years ( hence the ‘balsam’ = woody in
it’s name). It is richer, sweeter and more opulent than
the Vin Jaune. The addition of grape must to the light
colored vinegar adds a second layer of flavor to the
reduction.
The dark amber color suggests a host of mature, sweet
flavors that are brought out by the reduction: dried
fruits, wood, sugar and caramel.
Jurabalsam is a vinegar collector’s dream, and excellent
with flavorful seafood such as salmon, tuna or bluefish;
and
poultry, especially duck, and foie gras.
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Sherry
Vinegar
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Alvear
Palacio Quemado Pedro Ximénez Sweet Vinegar,
Spain
Pedro Ximénez
Sweet Vinegar is made from the same grapes used to make
Montilla PX wine. These wines are made in the Cordoba
region of Andalusia and are less well known in the USA
than sherry. But they bear a similarity of flavor, and are
also made in the traditional sherry criadera and solera
system. The PX grapes are left on the vine to sun-dry
until the sugars have concentrated and the grapes have
shriveled into raisins. Alvear PX Sweet Vinegar is made
exclusively from this namesake grape and its rich, brown
color suggests wood-paneled libraries, old leather,
cigars, and well-worn chaps. The result is exquisite
vinegar with overtones of chocolate, nuts, pears and
sultry, sweet dessert wines. This vinegar is a definite
‘must have’ that every cook should use regularly.
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José Páez Lobato ‘Gran Capirete 50 Reserva ’
Sherry
Vinegar,
Spain
While many
sherry vinegars can be found on the market today, few
compare with this spectacular 50-year-old treasure made
from Palomino Fino grapes. Grown in the microclimate of
the Jerez region, this is the grape variety that produces
the great Spanish Sherries. It has a complexity of flavor
that suggests apples and pears, almonds and walnuts.
Drizzle it on lovely spinach or salad greens - it is a
perfect match for any of our Spanish extra virgin olive
oil offerings - add to squash, onion or fennel soups,
summery gazpacho, or to finish a pan of sautéed mushrooms,
onions, or roasted red peppers.
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José Páez Lobato
‘Capirete 20 Reserva ’
Sherry
Vinegar,
Spain
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True Fruit
Vinegar
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A L’Olivier Fruit Vinegars,
France

A L´Olivier,
France’s oldest oil and condiment specialists (est. 1822),
has introduced a collection of innovative fruit vinegars.
Made with fresh fruit purée, sugar and pectin, the new
vinegars have a rich sauce-like texture and irresistible
bright tart-sweetness. Exceptionally versatile and
beautifully packaged, home cooks will want to fill their
pantry with several flavors and use for gift giving.
Blackcurrant: Full-flavored berry taste and vivid
purple color; pairs equally well with salads and duck or
pork.
Mango: Fruity golden relish: pair with salads and
grains or combine with ginger and fruits for chutney.
Raspberry: Pure raspberry fruit flavor; ideal for
salads or stir into sparkling water for a nonalcoholic
cocktail.
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Acetum 'Agretti' Fruit Condiments,
Italy
One
of our favorite Italian balsamic vinegar producers has a
terrific new product: fruit condiments. These products are
made from a blend of pure ingredients: grape must, aged
wine vinegar and fruit puree. Not quite vinegar and
not quite syrup, Agretti is sweeter than vinegar ( but
still possesses a dash of vinegar backbone ) and they
feature the aroma and flavor of fresh fruit. Agretti has
many uses in the kitchen. For example, you can call on it
to: dress bean, green or rice salads; glaze meats; add
flavor to fish marinades; deglaze a pan for a tasty sauce,
etc.
Choose from the following flavors:
Agretti Fig
Agretti Mango
Agretti Pomegranate
Agretti Raspberry
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Delouis
Apple Cider Bouquet Vinegar,
France
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More Information About Vinegar
This page updated 1/27/12 |
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