Balsamic Vinegar vs Red Wine Vinegar
Taste, color, and production process are some of the differences between balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar. First of all, vinegar is an acidic liquid produced from alcoholic beverages, and it is certainly a very versatile product. It is being used by mankind since ages, and the folklore is that it got created by accident when wine was left to come in contact with air that turned it sour. If one looks at the etymology of the word, he or she finds that it comes from French vinaigre, which literally means sour wine. There are dozens of varieties of vinegar of which balsamic and red wine vinegar are two popular varieties. The differences between balsamic and red wine vinegar shall be talked about in this article.
What is Balsamic Vinegar?
Balsamic vinegar is classic Italian vinegar that is formed in the traditional manner. The traditional vinegar fermentation process takes place when wine is placed in wooden casks with holes to allow for aeration. In the process, the alcohol gets converted into acetic acid and vinegar is formed. However, it is not easy as said. Great care is needed to make full-bodied balsamic vinegar from grapes as they are crushed and aged in specially made barrels that allow both oxidation and fermentation. Balsamic vinegar may take up to 12 years to age. As it ages and evaporates, it is transferred into smaller barrels, and after 12 years of careful preparation, one gets balsamic vinegar that is thick and dark in color.
It is possible to get low quality balsamic vinegars that are aged for just a few months. These should not be called balsamic vinegars at all. Even medium grade vinegars are aged for just 2 years, whereas true balsamic vinegar is aged for 12 years, which is why it is very expensive. Such a bottle of Balsamic vinegar can cost over $ 100 per bottle. That is because it comes with the highest quality. Balsamic vinegar is used for deglazing pans, dressing vegetable dishes and salad dishes, and to season almost everything from grilled meat.
What is Red Wine Vinegar?
Wine vinegar is one quality of vinegar that is most common in France and some other Mediterranean countries. There is a huge range of wine vinegars with most getting prepared in a maximum of 2 years. It can be made from either red or white wine. Red wine is used in the making of red wine vinegar. It takes just a year or two to ferment. The red wine vinegar has a brownish color and a mellow flavor and is used for salad dressings and sauces.Cheaper varieties of red wine vinegars have an aggressive flavor and are typically less aged.
What is the difference between Balsamic Vinegar and Red Wine Vinegar?
• Method of Production:
• Red wine vinegar, as the name implies, is made from red wine, and is aged in wooden barrels for 1 to 2 years.
• On the other hand, balsamic vinegar is prepared from grapes after they have been crushed, aerated and fermented for many years; the best ones are aged for around 12 years.
• Cost:
• Balsamic vinegar is more expensive than red wine vinegar.
• Another important thing to note is that both Balsamic vinegar and Red wine vinegar comes in the purest forms along with their cheaper counterparts. These cheaper versions are not so much high in taste, but you can use them for most of the recipes without much trouble.
• Color:
• Red wine vinegar is brownish in color.
• Balsamic vinegar has a deep brown color.
• Flavor:
• Red wine vinegar comes with a mellow flavor.
• Balsamic vinegar comes with a sweet, fruity flavor.
• Usage:
• Red wine vinegar is used for salad dressings and sauces.
• Balsamic vinegar is used for deglazing pans, dressing vegetable dishes, and salad dishes, and to season almost everything from grilled meat.
• Place of Origin:
• Red wine vinegar came from France.
• Balsamic vinegar came from Italy.
• Substitutes:
• You can substitute red wine vinegar with white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar or sherry vinegar.
• You can substitute balsamic vinegar with brown rice vinegar or Chinese black vinegar or red wine vinegar with sugar or honey. Or else, you can substitute it with fruit vinegar or sherry vinegar.
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