Wine vinegar has been used for a very long time. In ancient times, it was used as a disinfectant and wound healing remedy. Nowadays it is used more in cooking. It gives the dishes an incredible taste, and aroma, and improves their taste. There are many types of wine vinegar, today we want to tell you about Barbera vinegar.

What you need to know about wine vinegar

Wine vinegar is, first of all, an absolutely natural product that is produced without the addition of any chemicals that can harm the human body. It comes from fermented wine. In the process of its preparation, special bacteria take part, which oxidizes the initial raw material, turning it into acid. Everything happens naturally, so this vinegar is considered beneficial to humans. It contains the necessary micro- and macroelements that support health and protects against the effects of harmful bacteria.

The micro- and macroelements that are contained in wine vinegar have made it not only a product that can transform the dishes typical to a person, but also a remedy that can affect and maintain health. The healing properties of vinegar include the following abilities:

  • maintaining the work of the cardiovascular system of the body;
  • prevention of beriberi and the development of cancer;
  • obstruction of the aging process of the body;
  • maintaining skin elasticity;
  • blood thinning;
  • treatment and prevention of tonsillitis and other diseases of the throat and nasopharynx;
  • normalization of the digestive process.

So, such a small bottle of fragrant and healthy wine vinegar will help get rid of such difficult health problems.

Wine vinegar, 3 ways to make it

Nowadays, wine vinegar can be obtained essentially in three ways:

Superficial static fermentation

It is also known as the “primitive method” and requires the wine to be poured into small wooden barrels, left especially filled, to promote the oxidative process and therefore the action of acetic bacteria.

Here, the wine rests for a few months or even years, without human intervention. A completely natural process, at the end of which, the vinegar – now defined in aroma and taste – is tapped and bottled.

Traditionally a little vinegar is always left in the barrels, equal to about 15% of the initial volume, to be used as a graft for subsequent productions.

Among all, it is the method preferred, as it allows to fully respect the starting raw material, which is assumed to be a good wine.

Slow fermentation with shavings

This is a not very widespread technique, which involves the use of a large wooden vat, inside which there are grid shelves, on which wood shavings – or bands – are placed.

This porous material acts as a support lung for acetic bacteria which, through special holes, attract the necessary oxygen to themselves.

The wine is then taken from below, using a pump, and made to fall like rain from above. In this way, the contact surface between liquid and acetic bacteria increases, and transformation times decrease.

Quick or submerged fermentation

In this case, the tool used is a 316 stainless steel container, which at the base has a turbine for forced air intake.

This causes the air to mix quickly with the wine and, therefore, with the bacteria, which work much faster, given a large amount of oxygen present.

At the end of the transformation, the product is pinned, always leaving a small part of it inside.

The vinegar obtained in this way is especially appreciated by the canning industries and producers of sauces.

Peculiarities of Barbera vinegar

Barbera Vinegar is obtained from the fermentation of noble Piedmont wines with high alcohol content. Long aging in barrels enhances its smell and aroma due to the percentage of residual alcohol released during slow fermentation. It is produced from wines with a very long history. The first historical information about the cultivation of this vine dates back to 1259 in the Casale Monferrato area.

Barbera Vinegar is a high-quality vinegar with an intense aroma and a persistent and pleasant sour taste. It is best used as a salad dressing, as well as in vegetable, poultry, and/or red meat stews. It is also suitable for preparing turkey stuffed with dried fruits and red meat, for salads with cheeses and other spicy aromatic ingredients, for seafood, and shrimp, as well as for enriching the taste of desserts. Its acidity is 6.5%.

Barbera Vinegar Recipe

Turkey roll with chestnuts

Ingredients for 6 people:

  • 1 slice of turkey breast of about 800 gr / 1 kg
  • 400 gr boiled chestnuts
  • 150 gr chopped sausage
  • 150 gr grated parmesan
  • 1-2 eggs as needed
  • a pinch of nutmeg
  • salt
  • pepper
  • Barbera vinegar

Cooking Turkey roll with chestnuts:

  1. Bone the turkey breast, mash it, salt it, and pepper it as required.
  2. Boil the chestnuts, peel them, and pass them through a vegetable mill.
  3. Add the coarsely pureed sausage to the puree and mix everything with Parmesan, nutmeg, eggs, salt, and pepper.
  4. Spread the mixture on the turkey breast, roll it up and tie it.
  5. Bake it in the oven, in a buttered pan, with bay leaves, sage, and Barbera vinegar as needed.

Conclusion

Barbera vinegar is a great ingredient that will help enhance the taste of any dish and make your meal an haute cuisine dish. In addition, the use of wine vinegar has a beneficial effect on the body, so it is not only tasty but also healthy. If you haven’t tried using it in cooking yet, we highly recommend you start.