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What is Sherry Vinegar?

Sherry vinegar has been described as “a very special vinegar” by Delia Smith, and as “the best in the world” by Orson Welles. Sherry vinegar can be made ONLY from the sherry wines produced in and around the town of Jerez de la Frontera, Andalucía, southwest Spain.

Sherry vinegar has its own Denomination of Origin and is recognised as unique under Spanish and EU law. Production and quality are strictly controlled and monitored by the Consejo Regulador.

Sherry Vinegar Characteristics
Sherry wine produces a particularly full-bodied, well-rounded vinegar. Top quality sherry vinegars are rich and strong, sharp and refreshing. These vinegars hold the nutty base notes of the sherry wine, as well as traces of oak and caramel, toasted almonds and coffee.

The ageing process gives the vinegar an intense complexity and high acidic concentration. Regulations stipulate a minimum of six months ageing in cask and a minimum 7 degrees of acidity. The degree of acidity is equivalent to the percentage acetic acid (by mass), ie a 7 degree vinegar contains 7 percent acetic acid.

Sherry Vinegar Quality and Age
The quality of the vinegar depends on the wine it’s made from: good wine turns to good vinegar. The older the vinegar, the better and more intense the flavour, and flavour is what it’s all about. Like any gourmet food, there are varying degrees of quality and age, and prices reflect this.

Sherry Vinegar Styles
Sherry vinegars are usually made from wines pressed from the Palomino grape, and are graded according to the length of ageing:

Vinagre de Jerez (6 months to two years in cask)
Vinagre de Jerez Reserva (minimum of two years in cask, but often up to 30 or more years)
Vinegars labelled “al Pedro Ximénez” (often abbreviated to PX) are either made from the sweet PX wine or are sweetened by the addition of PX wine.

Very small quantities of sherry vinegar are made from Moscatel grapes.