White Wine Vinegar
White wine vinegar is a sharp, light-colored vinegar made by fermenting white wine, used to brighten sauces, dressings, and pickles.
How to buy
Choose vinegar labeled with a clear acidity percentage (usually 5-7%); pricier bottles aged briefly in wood have a rounder, less harsh edge. Genuine white wine vinegar lists "white wine" as its base and has a pale straw color -- don't mistake it for plain distilled white vinegar, which is sharper and flatter.
How to store
Store in a cool, dark pantry away from direct light; it's shelf-stable indefinitely thanks to its acidity, though flavor is best within 2-3 years of opening. No refrigeration is needed, and a little harmless sediment may form over time.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Crisp, tart acidity with a lighter, less fruity edge than red wine vinegar, carrying faint wine and yeast undertones beneath the sharpness.
- Texture
- Thin and watery, just like the wine it's fermented from.
- Aroma
- Sharp and faintly fruity, retaining a whisper of the original wine's aroma beneath the vinegar's acetic bite.
How to prepare
- Reduced — Simmered down to concentrate acidity for pan sauces like beurre blanc.
- Vinaigrettes — Whisked with oil for a bright, simple dressing base.
- Pickling brine — Combined with water, sugar, and salt to quick-pickle vegetables.
- Deglazing — Added to a hot pan to lift browned bits and start building sauce flavor.
Classic dishes
American
- Mustard vinaigrette — A tangy dressing whisking mustard and white wine vinegar into oil.
Italian
- Giardiniera — Mixed vegetables pickled in vinegar brine for a tangy, crunchy condiment.
- Caponata — A sweet-and-sour Sicilian eggplant dish rounded out with a vinegar finish.
- Agrodolce sauce — A sweet-and-sour sauce balancing sugar against vinegar's sharp acidity.
- Chicken scaloppine pan sauce — A quick pan sauce deglazed with white wine vinegar after searing cutlets.
French
- Beurre blanc — A silky butter sauce built on a reduction of white wine vinegar and shallots.
- Mignonette sauce — A sharp vinegar and shallot sauce served over raw oysters.
- Classic French vinaigrette — Oil and white wine vinegar whisked into the default dressing for simple green salads.
- Sauce ravigote — A tangy vinegar-based sauce with capers and herbs served over cold meats.
- Remoulade — A tangy mayonnaise-based sauce sharpened with a splash of vinegar.
Mediterranean
- Pickled red onions — Thinly sliced onions quick-pickled in vinegar brine for salads and sandwiches.
Spanish
- Escabeche — Fish or vegetables marinated and lightly pickled in a vinegar and oil marinade.
German
- German potato salad — Warm potatoes dressed with vinegar, mustard, and bacon fat instead of mayonnaise.
- Sauerbraten marinade — A long vinegar-based marinade that tenderizes and sours the roast before braising.
- Pickled herring — Herring fillets cured and preserved in a sweet-and-sour vinegar brine.
Substitutions
- Sherry Vinegar — Deeper and nuttier than white wine vinegar; use slightly less, since sherry vinegar is more concentrated in flavor.
- Rice Vinegar — Milder and a touch sweeter; fine in dressings but lacks white wine vinegar's wine-like sharpness.