How To Make Red Wine Vinegar

How to make homemade Red Wine Vinegar is so easy and it’s so much more flavorful than anything you can buy at the store. Turn leftover wine into a delicious vinegar that’s perfect for salads, side dishes, and recipes that need an extra splash of flavor!

Two glass bottles of homemade red wine vinegar on a metal tray with greenery.

I’ve got several different kinds of vinegar in my pantry and I use most of them quite often. There’s the workhorse, Apple Cider Vinegar, and coming in a close second is Red Wine Vinegar. Both have so many uses which means I’m constantly restocking my supply.

I recently discovered I could make my own red wine vinegar from leftover wine. That may seem a crazy thing to say “leftover wine” like that really happens, but actually, it does. With some good red wine and a little patience, you can have a delicious, flavorful vinegar in about a couple of weeks.

Homemade Red Wine Vinegar had deep flavors that are more complex than anything you can buy at the store. You will love the beautiful extra something that it adds to your recipes.

How To Make Homemade Red Wine Vinegar

There are two ways to make homemade red wine vinegar.

Small Batches

This is my favorite method for making homemade vinegar. Use a half or 3/4 full bottle of red wine. Place the wine in a large mouth jar or bottle, cover the top with cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band. Leave it in a warm place, I put it at the back of my counter for 2 weeks. That’s it. The natural oxidation process will turn the wine into vinegar for you! Taste it then store it in a cruet or jar with a lid.

Constant Supple

This method only requires one extra step. You’ll need a “mother” supply of raw vinegar or Braggs ACV with mother, and a bottle of red wine to get things going. You don’t need expensive wine, just something that you like to drink. Add 1 cup of mother and the red wine to a large glass container. Cover and place out of direct sunlight. Over a 2 to 3 week period, you’ll see a “skin” form over the top of the mixture. The skin will eventually sink to the bottom (about 2 weeks) and you’ll have vinegar. As you use the vinegar, you can add more wine to the supply you’ve been making.

How to make red wine vinegar showing 2 glass bottles and greenery.

Recipes To Make With Red Wine Vinegar

Last but not least…

If you make some Red Wine Vinegar be sure to leave a comment and a rating. I always love hearing from you! Also, if you make it, snap a pic and tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see your photo.

How To Make Red Wine Vinegar

Turn leftover wine into a delicious vinegar that's perfect for salads, side dishes, and recipes that need an extra splash of flavor!

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Course: Extras, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Servings: bottle

Author: Donya Mullins

Ingredients

1 bottle red wine
1 cup raw vinegar

Instructions

Small Batch

Use 1/2 or 3/4 full bottle of red wine. Place the wine in a large mouth glass jar or bottle. Cover the top with cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band. Leave it in a warm place for 2 weeks. That's it. The natural oxidation process will turn the wine into vinegar. Taste then store in a sealed or corked bottle.

Constant Supply

Add 1 cup of mother and an entire bottle (750ml) of red wine to a large glass container. Cover and place out of direct sunlight. Over a 2 to 3 week period, you'll see a "skin" form over the top of the mixture. The skin will eventually sink to the bottom (about 2 weeks) and you'll have vinegar. As you use the vinegar, you can add more wine to the supply you've been making. Taste then store in a sealed or corked bottle.