Red Wine Vinegar

Red wine vinegar. Two years in oak barrels, dark fruit, robust without being harsh.

Red wine vinegar from the Gölles winery: full-bodied, deep in color, made from red grapes and bottled after at least two years in wood. No balsamic vinegar, no vinegar with added flavoring or color, no sharp quick vinegar.

Red wine vinegar is a robust wine vinegar from Styria, which Gölles makes from red grapes and ages in oak barrels. Many know red wine vinegar as a tart, biting companion that dominates any dressing. This one is built differently: It has strength and a deep color, but the acidity does not sting. On the nose, dark berry fruit clearly precedes the wood.

Cherry, cassis and an acidity that supports

The red wine vinegar combines dark berry fruit with a robust acidity of 6 percent, which has become rounded through barrel aging. According to the manufacturer, cherry, blueberry and a hint of cassis are evident in the aroma. Dark chocolate, espresso and the wood of the barrel are added to this.

On the palate, it is full-bodied and has more depth than one is accustomed to with a wine vinegar. The tannins of the red grapes give it grip, the wood organizes them. This creates a vinegar that holds its own in robust dishes without pushing itself forward.

It is less suitable for delicate head lettuce or lamb's lettuce with fine herbs, as it quickly cuts through. Those expecting a restrained vinegar for young leaves will find it too robust. Start sparingly there or take the clear wine vinegar made from white grapes.

Green beans, risotto and everything that simmers for a long time

Red wine vinegar plays to its strength where dishes have substance and can withstand an acidity that holds its own. In a beef goulash, a ragù or braised oxtail, a dash when deglazing releases the browned bits. Those who want to retain the fresh acidity add a second spoonful only shortly before serving.

In Austria, green beans are called Fisolen. A lukewarm green bean salad with red onions, olive oil and chervil becomes hearty with red wine vinegar. It suits a Greek salad with feta and olives better than a light vinegar.

Drizzled over a risotto with radicchio, it combines bitterness and cheese. For antipasti such as grilled eggplant, zucchini or peppers, a few splashes per plate are sufficient, together with a robust olive oil.

Good to know: Unlike balsamic vinegars, this vinegar can be cooked with; heat hardly harms it. For an Italian dressing, mix it with olive oil, salt, pepper and some dried oregano. Red grape seed oil is also suitable as a partner.

Two years in the barrel cellar, often in old barrels

For this vinegar, Gölles only ferments grapes, without concentrate, without flavorings, without colorings and without sulfites. In older documents, the winery refers to Zweigelt as the base; today it speaks generally of red grapes. Vinegar bacteria then transform the alcohol of the wine into acetic acid, for which they need warmth and oxygen.

After that, the red wine vinegar ages for at least two years in oak barrels, often in ones that have been in use for a long time. Older barrels give off less wood flavor but continue to act as a breathing vessel. Without this time, the strength of the red grapes would remain unorganized.

The cellar in Riegersburg contains around 1,500 oak barrels, cool and without daylight. Two years of barrel aging is no given for a wine vinegar. Its result is fullness instead of additional sharpness.

Between Styria and the Mediterranean

The special thing about red wine vinegar is that it serves both local and Mediterranean cuisine equally well. It suits a Styrian Krautfleisch just as well as a plate of antipasti with grilled vegetables. Katharina Fleck, who now runs the winery together with David Gölles, describes it as robust but never overpowering.

Krautfleisch is a braised dish made of pork and sauerkraut, which a dash of red wine vinegar gives freshness at the end. With paprika powder and a dollop of sour cream, it becomes a classic tavern meal.

The 500-ml bottle is a practical size for kitchens where braising and marinating are done regularly. As a gift, it is suitable together with an olive oil for anyone who likes to cook Italian or Austrian food.

A red wine vinegar with strength and calm, that takes both the casserole and the salad bowl seriously.