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the sharp taste of success

Colette Bardell on a worldwide culinary triumph which started out as a ‘wine-maker’s failure’

The rolling vineyards of the Cádiz region's sherry triangle are the foundation for one of Spain's most famous exports. But the distinctive Palomino, Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel grapes grown on the area's fertile soil produce something besides sherry: a distinctive and now highly after gourmet ingredient – sherry vinegar.

The word vinegar comes from the French 'vin aigre', meaning sour wine. It is a natural by-product of the wine-making process and signifies wine-making failure. Sherry vinegar, like all vinegars, is produced when wine is exposed to the bacteria present in all wineries that feed on alcohol and oxygen to form acetic acid. That’s what gives vinegar its recognisable tart taste.

In the past, ‘contaminated’ containers were removed before they could infect the neighbouring wine barrels and the contents given away to friends and family of a bodega or stored and forgotten.

Justin Roberts of sherry-vinegar.com, a website dedicated to selling quality sherry vinegars, says: “Although it’s always been part of the wine process, sherry vinegar only really came into its own as a valued product in the 1950s with progressive bodegas who decided to develop it along the same system as their sherries and brandies.”

Sherry vinegar has come a long way since then, gaining the prestigious Denominacion de Origen (DO) 'Vinagre de Jerez' in 2000. This all-important mark of quality means the product is protected by both Spanish and European law, and to qualify the grapes must be grown in vineyards in the south western region of Cádiz or Lebrija, just over the border in Seville province.

Ageing must take place in American oak barrels for a minimum of six months for vinagre de Jerez, two years for the reservas and 10 years for the latest classification, gran reserva. The vinegar must contain at least seven per cent acidity (the minimum for any vinegar is six per cent) and be aged only within the sherry triangle of Jerez, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María, using the solera method.

Sherry vinegar was originally produced by an acidental and spontaneous process. Today, many bodegas introduce desired strains of bacteria to specific wine barrels to begin the fermentation process. However, unlike mass produced vinegars which are inoculated with the bacteria and fast tracked through the blending process in a matter of hours – producing a metallic tasting product – quality sherry vinegar is allowed to mature over time. This delivers complex, layered flavours which take on the characteristic nutty, woody tones of the oak barrels.

A spokeswomen from the Consejo de Regulador of the DO said: “To mature, the sherry vinegar needs a lot of oxygen and fresh air, not only for the acetic acid to form but also to help deepen the vinegar colour and improve its complexity. The vinegar ages in well-ventilated bodegas, with high ceilings and open vents which face south or south west to take advantage of sea breezes. The barrels are never completely filled or sealed so receive fresh air supplies constantly.”

The bodegas apply the solera method of production for vinegar as with their sherries and brandies. Developed in the 19th century, it is unique to the Jerez area. The system consists of rows of 500-litre oak casks previously used to store sherry which are piled up in a pyramid. The oldest vinegar is stored in the ‘solera’, the bottom row of barrels from which no more than a third is removed for bottling.

The space is filled with vinegar from the higher ‘criadera', the barrels in the next row. This process is repeated throughout the rows, blending the younger vinegar with its predecessors and allowing it to take on the characteristics of the older vinegars to develop a uniform, harmonious colour and fragrance and a rich nutty,slightly sweet, sharp flavour.

All the major sherry houses, such as Domecq, Williams and Humbert, Gonzalez Byass, Osborne and Barbadillo produce their own vinegars. However, its also worth considering the smaller independents such as Paez Morillo, Rey Fernado de Castilla and Sanchez Romate (among others), who are the only suppliers to sherry-vinegar.com.

Justin Roberts buys only from the independents for the reason that “they use only 'spontaneous', barrels (butts), those that have turned naturally, and the vinegar drawn off the barrels is allowed to 'settle' naturally rather than being filtered, a time-consuming process that results in artisan product of quality.

As with balsamic vinegar, quality sherry vinegar can be aged for anything from 30, 50 and even up to 75 years. With the exception of the ‘al Pedro Ximénez’ vinegars blended from the sweet PX grape, sherry vinegar is a lot more gutsy than balsamic. It adds real depth to stews and traditional local dishes like riñones al Jerez – lamb’s kidneys in a sherry wine and vinegar sauce.

However its high acid content means taking care when using it neat. As each brand of vinegar has its own signature flavour, it is worth investing in a selection and experimenting with quantities and types to find the one that works best for the recipe.

To be sure of buying the best look for the distinctive DO label on the back of the bottle and check the acid content; the lower the percentage, the less aggressive the taste.

For those new to sherry vinegar, the Pedro Ximénez blends offer an easier transition from balsamic: benign, sweet and fruity with the taste of Christmas.
Barbadillo have recently introduced a spray dispenser which is also a good way of adding vinegar in a controlled way. It should be stored in a dry, dark place can be kept up to three years.

The El Corte Inglés gourmet shops stock a good selection of the top end sherry vinegars and more basic offerings can be found in supermarkets, but a good place to start is local delis, which are familiar with the product and how to use it.

Once a secret ingredient beloved by French chefs, sherry vinegar finally started to sell more in spain than France during the last two years. This ‘wine-maker’s failure’ is now the culinary must have ingredient from the United States to Japan.

sherry-vinegar.com 956 332 050