Champagne vinegar

Vinaigre de Champagne

What it is

Vinegar became an Orleans trade because wine barged up the Loire towards Paris turned before it arrived, and the slow surface method that took the town's name is still how the good Champagne vinegars are made - weeks in oak rather than a day in a tank. The wine behind it is the region's still base wine, taken before it ever sees a second fermentation.

In the kitchen

It is usually bottled near six percent against seven for an ordinary white wine vinegar, so a vinaigrette can go to one part in three of oil rather than one in four. On raw fish or oysters serve it neat as a mignonette with shallot, since the acid is low enough not to cook the flesh.

Goes with

Oyster Shallot Scallop Sea bass Cream Butter Chives Cucumber

Same species

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale DOP Amontillado Armagnac Banyuls Brandy de Jerez Cognac

Also used with

Kumamoto oyster

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