How is Sherry Vinegar made?
Sherry vinegar is made only from sherry wine. These wines are pressed from Palomino, Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel grapes, grown in vineyards within the Denomination of Origin “Jerez-Xéres-Sherry”. Sherry vinegar is aged in the same way as sherry wine, using the solera system. This fractional blending system was developed in the 19th century and typically involves three or four tiers of barrels. Vinegar for bottling is extracted from the tier nearest the ground (the solera). These barrels are then filled with vinegar from the tier above (1st/2nd/3rd criadera), and so on until the highest tier is topped up with wine from the most recent harvest. Under the regulations of the DO “Vinagre de Jerez” must be aged for a minimum of six months. “Vinagre de Jerez Reserva” must be aged for at least two years. In reality, winemakers often age their “Reserva” for much longer, up to 30 or even 50 years.
