What Is Red wine vinegar and How Can I Use It?

Wondering what to do with red wine vinegar? This guide covers how to pick it, cook it, store it, and swap it, plus 637 recipes to put it to work.

What is red wine vinegar?

Red wine vinegar is exactly what it sounds like: red wine that has been fermented a second time until the alcohol turns to acid. It carries some of the wine's color and tannin, which gives it a deeper, slightly fruity bite compared with the pale wine vinegars.

This is the everyday workhorse of Mediterranean and Central European kitchens. It is sharp without being harsh, and it sits at the center of more vinaigrettes and marinades than any other vinegar.

For the basics of how vinegar is made and the general rule about adding acid late, see the main vinegar page. This one focuses on where red wine vinegar earns its place.

Flavor and Acidity

Red wine vinegar usually runs between 6% and 7% acidity, a touch sharper than many cider or rice vinegars but milder and rounder than distilled white.

Quality varies as much as wine does. Cheap bottles taste flatly sour, while versions aged in wood for a year or two pick up a mellow, complex edge worth paying for.

Some are made from a single grape, like a Cabernet vinegar, which carries more of that varietal fruit. That leftover grape character is the whole reason to choose it over white vinegar.

Cooking With Red Wine Vinegar

Its home turf is the vinaigrette. A standard ratio is three parts oil to one part vinegar, then a little mustard and salt, plus a pinch of sugar to round it out.

That dressing carries salads like Honey Walnut, Goat Cheese Cranberry Salad and the warm dressing in Warm Red Cabbage & Apple Salad.

It also sharpens cooked dishes at the finish. A spoonful stirred into a pot of chili, as in Sinfully Good Chili, lifts the whole thing and cuts through the richness of the meat.

Red wine vinegar is a marinade staple too. Its acid tenderizes and its grape fruit suits beef and lamb far better than a neutral vinegar would. A small splash near the end of a braise or onion soup wakes up flavors that long cooking has flattened.

The mistake to avoid is using it where the dish should stay pale. Red wine vinegar tints a delicate cream sauce or a light dressing pink and muddy, so for those reach for white wine vinegar instead.

Substitutes

The closest swap is white wine vinegar, used one for one, when color does not matter; it is a hair milder but behaves the same in dressings. Apple cider vinegar also stands in well, bringing its own fruitiness, though it leans more toward apple than grape.

In a pinch, sherry vinegar makes a fine and arguably better substitute, drier and nuttier. Balsamic can work where you want extra sweetness, but use less because it is far sweeter and darker.

Plain distilled white vinegar is the last resort. It is much sharper, so cut the amount by about a third and add a pinch of sugar to soften the edge.

Buying and Storing

Look for something aged if you can, and check the acidity on the label so you know how sharp it will be. A bottle that lists a grape variety is usually a step up from generic "red wine vinegar."

Storage is easy. The acidity keeps it stable, so a capped bottle lasts for years in a cool, dark cupboard with no refrigeration.

You may see a cloudy strand or a soft blob form inside, the harmless mother of vinegar. Strain it out if it bothers you. The vinegar underneath is still perfectly good.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find red wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar is usually found in the condiments section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Red wine vinegar is a member of the Spices and Herbs US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

红酒醋

British (UK) term

Red wine vinegar

en français

vinaigre de vin rouge

en español

vinagre de vino tinto

How much does red wine vinegar weigh?

Related

Spices and Herbs

Recipes using red wine vinegar

There are 637 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Buckwheat, Beet & Manchego Salads

Buckwheat, Beet and Manchego Salads

Yummy Gazpacho Soup

No-cook chunky gazpacho with crushed and diced tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and a triple citrus-vinegar punch. Vegan, gluten-free, ready in 10 minutes plus chill.

So Dood Gazpacho

Classic chilled gazpacho, the no-cook Spanish soup of ripe tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, and onion blended with tomato juice and a splash of wine. Light, refreshing, vegan, and ready in 10 minutes.

Bruschetta Hummus Stuffed Zucchini

Topped with a simple bruschetta this is a perfect side dish to enjoy all summer.

Zesty Meatball Sandwiches- Crock Pot

Try something different for lunch with this scrumptious dish you can use to make amazing sandwiches.

Arugula, Artichoke & Cherry Tomato Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette

Peppery arugula salad with marinated artichokes, cherry tomatoes, and basil pesto vinaigrette. Quick, healthy Italian-inspired salad ready in 8 minutes.

Grandma's Great Gazpacho

Cold gazpacho soup with tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion, garlic, and a hit of red wine vinegar and lemon. Chilled, no-cook, and perfect for hot summer afternoons.

Chili N'Awlins

Chili N'Awlins is a New Orleans-style beef and pork chili with green chiles, oregano, and a Cajun edge. Topped with corn chips, sharp cheddar, and shredded lettuce for a hearty crowd-feeder.

Barb's Best Gazpacho

Gazpacho done right: ripe tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers blended smooth, then topped with the same vegetables finely diced for crunch. A no-cook chilled soup with lime, Tabasco heat, and an optional vodka kick.

Refreshing Cobb Salad

Classic Cobb salad with chicken, bacon, avocado, egg, and Roquefort dressing. Composed salad with rows of colorful toppings over crisp lettuce, perfect for elegant lunches.

Citrus Salad with Watercress & Shaved Parmesan

Grapefruit, orange and watercress create this refreshing and light salad. Great to serve before or after any heavier fat laden meal to clean the palate. Also good to incorporate some fall and winter fruit.

Dilled Potato & Grilled Corn Salad

A no-mayo potato salad tossed with smoky grilled corn, fresh dill, and a grainy mustard vinegar dressing. Light, tangy, and vegan, the perfect cookout side that won't wilt in the summer heat.

Beets & Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese

Earthy-sweet beets, peppery arugula and creamy goat cheese are tossed with a red wine vinaigrette. Quick, easy and tasty!

Grilled Figs, Prosciutto & Arugula Salad

Caramelized grilled figs and smoky prosciutto are a delicious pair, and you can find both of them in this salad, mixed with some peppery arugula, gouda cheese and tossed with a basil-roasted bell pepper vinaigrette.

Favourite Pot Luck Sweet & Sour Slaw

A great little salad is perfect to be aside with grilled sausages.

Chicken Caesar Salad

Sautéed chicken breast sliced thin over crisp romaine with homemade garlic croutons, Parmesan, and a from-scratch Caesar dressing made with anchovy paste and fresh lemon. A low-calorie salad that eats like a meal.

Chopped Mediterranean Salad

A refreshingly delicious chopped Mediterranean salad is also very quick and easy to put together. A great spring or summer salad with your BBQ.

Roasted Corn & Avocado Salsa

Pan-roasted sweet corn and avocado salsa. Works well with any type of seafood or on a fish taco.

Caesar Salad Dressing

A good salad needs a good dressing. This caesar salad dressing for sure makes your salad taste delicious, and it's so easy to make.

Mixed Green Salad

Quick, easy and tasty salad is a great side dish with any main dish.

Greek Salad Sandwich

I was reading New York Times the other day, and a Greek Salad English Muffin recipe with picture captured my attention. Then I made this Greek salad-one of my favorites, instead of English muffins, I used homemade whole wheat burger bun. So here my sandwich is stuffed with Greek Salad, sounds a good idea, and it tastes amazingly delicious!

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Just made this roasted curried cauliflower for lunch, and it was very tasty. Loved how sweet the onions came out after the roasting with the strong caramelized flavor as well, yum. The cauliflower florets were tender with a little bit crisp, perfect texture :)

Gazpacho De Madrid

Traditional Madrid-style gazpacho with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, crumbled French bread, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. A chilled vegan summer soup.

Chickpea, Tomato & Olive Salad

This easy and refreshing salad has lots of great textures, and it's quite filling as well. Serve it as a side dish or a tasty and nutritious vegetarian main course.

Avocado, Roasted Corn, & Cilantro Salsa

Not sure what to do with your ripe avocados? This roasted corn, avocado and cilantro salsa will satisfy your tummy with lots of deliciousness, and it's also packed with goodness. Serve it with some store-bought or homemade tortilla chips or tacos.

Pesto Chicken & Pepper Wraps

Easy and delicious chicken wraps are packed with goodness and yumminess.

Baby Greens with Mediterranean Vinaigrette

This is such a flavorful salad, the vinaigrette brings all the flavors together, and the spinach, dried cranberries and cheddar cheese are perfectly delicious with this tasty dressing.

Greek Salad with Peppers

Bring a Greek flavor to your salads with this easy-to-follow recipe that will become one of your favorites!

Zucchini Potato Latkes with Tzatziki

These lovely latkes are made with zucchini and potato which are both in season, they are so tasty, served with homemade fresh Tzatziki, it can be a side dish or even a light dinner!

Spanish Chicken Salad

Spanish spiced chicken breast with fresh avocado, orange dressed boston lettuce.

Quinoa, Apple, & Cheddar Salad with Mixed Greens

A light, delicious and refreshing salad. Serve it as a simply tasty side dish or a meatless main course.

Favourite Caesar Salad

This quick and easy caesar salad is surprisingly refreshing and delicious. There is no reason to buy store-bought dressing, when you can make your own fresh dressing at home within a few minutes, and it tastes just delicious!

Creamy Caesar Salad with Spicy Croutons

Just delicious. Love the health factor considered in developing this recipe, especially since I'm watching my saturated fat and cholesterol intake. I'd never have made caesar salad for a party recently if not for this one. There was not a romaine left on anyone's plate. Thanks!

Roasted Asparagus with Sweet Pepper & Shallots

A quick and easy way to make a delicious side dish with asparagus.

Grilled Figs Arugula Salad with Roasted Pepper Vinaigrette

Fresh figs are all over the market right now. This grilled figs arugula salad is ideal for you to enjoy these sweet seasonal figs.

California Beef & Bean Chili

Chunky California beef and bean chili made with cubed round steak, scratch-cooked beans and fresh-toasted cumin. Three peppers and a jalapeño build layered heat in this lean, hearty bowl.

Summer Greek Salad

A quick, easy and tasty greek style salad that can be made within 20 minutes!

Greek Pasta Salad with Feta & Chicken

So easy to make, and the dish came out super tasty. Instead of green bell pepper, I used sweet red bell peppers, didn't have mint, so used fresh basil leaves instead. Yum.

Beet Green, Artichoke Hearts & Pomegranate Salad

Next time when you have some fresh beet greens, or kale or any similar greens, make this easy yet tasty salad with marinated artichoke hearts, pomegranate seeds and creamy fresh mozzarella.

Avocado & Potato Salad with Horseradish

While Loomis says that this salad does not keep well and shouldn't be counted on for leftovers, she says that it's one of the most popular potato salads she's ever made.

Crockpot Cincinnati Chili

Crockpot Cincinnati chili made with lean chicken, simmered low with chili powder, a hit of unsweetened chocolate, and warm cinnamon and cloves. The Queen City classic, set-and-forget in the slow cooker.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Taco

We used leftover grilled vegetable salad to make these quick tacos, and they were very yummy!

Asparagus Prosciutto Bundles

Quick and easy yet dressy and good for company. The prosciutto wrapped around the asparagus gets crispy under the broiler and the tomato garlic dressing adds even more flavor.

New Potato & Green Bean Salad with Grape Tomatoes & Feta

Make this quick, easy and tasty salad as your side-dish with any of your BBQ main course. Light and refreshing, wonderful in a warm summer day.

Marinated Pasta Salad

This delicious and refreshing pasta salad is easy to put together, and it's best served after being chilled, perfect on a hot summer day!

Summertime New Potato Salad

Just like the name of the dish, this new potato salad is ideal on a hot summer day.

Cola Barbecued Ribs

These delicious cola barbecued ribs will for sure satisfy your tummy.

Eggplant Sichuan Style

Absolutely loved this sichuan style eggplant stir-fry. It's packed with flavor. Sweet, sour, and salty sauce made a great base. Served it with some steamed brown rice, delicious!!

Auntie's Cole Slaw

The combination of honey and the nuts make this cole slaw the best. This is my husbands favorite coleslaw, when I first made it he just went on and one about how good it was. I got the recipe from my Aunt. I'm guessing about 5 weight watchers points per serving.

Baked Garlic Chicken Legs

Spice up your dinner with this succulent dish that will have you licking your lips and fingers.

All 637 recipes