Christie C. Just because your wine has gone bad doesn’t mean that you should throw it out. Any old wine can be turned into vinegar quickly and easily with the addition of apple cider vinegar!
“Red wine vinegar has some personality as well acidity.” ―
Alex Guarnaschelli
Why You’ll Love This Vinegar Recipe
- Only 2 ingredients
- Can turn ANY wine into vinegar
- Creates a vinegar that adds tons of flavor to homemade dishes
Inspiration for Vinegar
I had some old wine sitting around in the refrigerator that I knew I never going to drink.
One was an old opened bottle of Marsala wine from a Chicken Marsala dinner, and the other was the Yalumba Antique Tawny from southern Australia that a friend recommended, but I found it too sweet. Both wines were too old to enjoy, but rather than toss them out, I decided to turn them into vinegar.
Simply adding apple cider vinegar to old wine can quickly transform it into vinegar.
Initially, I made two separate vinegars with the two wines. The Marsala vinegar ended up being sweet, and EXTREMELY tart with a caramel-like, sour aftertaste. The Antique Tawny Vinegar was sweet and astringent with a smoother finish.
Both, however, were similar enough in flavor for me to feel comfortable mixing the two and storing them in an old maple syrup bottle. The two vinegars mixed together resulted in a rather potent and delicious ingredient that I now add to most of my entrees.
What wine can be used?
Select any old wine you want to turn into vinegar. Just be mindful that the quality of the vinegar will depend on the quality of the wine. Also, wine that you enjoy drinking will produce a nice, potent vinegar that will give your dishes a lot more flavor.
Red wines will produce red wine vinegar, while white wines will produce white wine vinegar. It isn’t recommended that red and white wines be mixed together when making vinegar because they have distinct flavor profiles that can clash when mixed. Red wines typically have robust, bold flavors with tannins, while white wines are usually lighter and more acidic. Combining the two can result in an unbalanced and unpredictable taste that may not be as pleasing as the individual wines.
Vinegar made from just one type of wine generally have a cleaner, crisper flavor and produce more consistent results. For reference, both of the wines I used were red varieties. That said, I won’t discourage you from experimenting if you want to go ahead and try mixing the two!
Mother of Vinegar
To make the vinegar, add unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to your wine. Apple cider vinegar has the mother of vinegar already present in the bottle.
Mother of vinegar is a substance composed of acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter) and cellulose. It forms naturally during the fermentation process when alcohol (such as wine, cider, or beer) is exposed to oxygen and Acetobacter bacteria. The mother of vinegar appears as a slimy, gelatinous layer or film that floats on the surface of the liquid. This substance is essential in the production of vinegar because it contains the live bacteria necessary to convert alcohol into acetic acid, which gives vinegar its characteristic sour taste.
It looks like a cloudy, gelatinous mass that can be white, gray, or brown in color. Other times, it may appear as a film on the surface of the vinegar, or as clumps that settle at the bottom of the container. In my bottle, it just clumps at the bottom.
If you don’t have a mother of vinegar, you can use a small amount of unpasteurized, unfiltered vinegar that contains live cultures as a starter. Ensure that the container you use for making vinegar is clean and has adequate ventilation to allow oxygen to reach the liquid.
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Special Tools and Equipment
- A glass or ceramic container (such as a large jar or crock)
- Cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. I made my own here.
- Rubber band or string
Old Wine Vinegar
Ingredients
- Old wine red or white
- A glass or ceramic container such as a large jar or crock
- Cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel
- Rubber band or string
- Mother of vinegar optional but recommended for faster fermentation
Instructions
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Clean your glass or ceramic container thoroughly. Avoid using metal containers as they can react with the vinegar. Ensure the container is large enough to hold your wine with some extra space for air circulation.
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Use a ratio of 1:4 vinegar and old wine. I used 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of old wine. Pour the old wine into the prepared container. Fill the container no more than two-thirds full to leave room for air. If you have a mother of vinegar, add it to the container.
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Cover the top of the container with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Secure it with a rubber band or string. This allows air to circulate while keeping dust and insects out.
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Place the container in a warm, dark place, such as a cupboard or pantry. The ideal temperature for fermentation is between 60-80°F (15-27°C). Avoid direct sunlight and temperature fluctuations.
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Allow the wine to ferment for a minimum of three months. During this time, the acetic acid bacteria will convert the alcohol in the wine into acetic acid, creating vinegar. Taste the vinegar periodically to check its progress. The vinegar is ready when it has a strong, tangy flavor.
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Once the vinegar has reached the desired flavor, filter it through a coffee filter or fine mesh strainer to remove any solids, including the mother of vinegar. Pour the filtered vinegar into clean glass bottles or jars and seal them tightly.
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Store your homemade vinegar in a cool, dark place. It can be used immediately or aged further for a more complex flavor. Properly stored, homemade vinegar can last indefinitely.
