I remember many years ago when I first grabbed a plain bottle from the pantry that was just simply marked “vinegar” and when I opened it, I was assaulted with the musky and tangy smell of mustang grapes. This was my introduction to wild grape vinegar and the realization that not all vinegar are created equal. Ever since then, I’ve tried making my own and going around many farmers’ markets to find that taste that first introduced me to the world of artisan vinegar. In Texas, the wild grape vinegar of choice is made with mustang grapes, but any wild grape can be used in making the vinegar. The flavor profile of wild grape vinegar will depend entirely on the source fruit that the vinegar is made from.
Wild Grape Vinegar Trivia
- Vinegar is considered to be one of the oldest known condiments known to mankind.
- Mustang grapes make for great wild grape vinegar due to its natural tang and acidity.
- There is a very thin line between wild grape wines and wild grape vinegar due to the inherent tartness of wild grapes.
- Wild grapes vinegar is not the same as a wild grape-infused vinegar as the former is made entirely from wild grapes.
Wild Grape Vinegar Buying Guide
If there’s anything that can be truly considered artisan, then it’s wild grape vinegar. To make real wild grape vinegar, the grapes used should be harvested from the wild, and not just using farmed versions of the wild grape variety.
Another thing to look out for is the word “flavored.” There’s a world of difference when it comes to wild grape-flavored vinegar and wild grape vinegar. Anything that contains the word “Flavored” or “Infused” is probably made from distilled vinegar with flavorings or small amounts of wild grapes to it to give it that flavor or infusion.
Artisan wild grape vinegar producers might find store shelves in supermarkets to be too expensive to display their small-batch products in, so if you want to purchase or try authentic wild grape vinegar, your best bet is to go to your local specialty farm stores or visit your local farmers’ markets.
Wild Grape Vinegar Production & Farming in Texas
As we mentioned earlier, the wild grape vinegar of choice in Texas is made from mustang grapes. Mustang grapes are native to the state and can be found almost everywhere when it’s in season. This gives local wild grape vinegar producers plenty of raw materials to work with. This doesn’t mean that since the mustang grapes are essentially “free” that the cost would be low. The associated costs that come with producing wild grape vinegar is the difficulty of harvesting the grapes due to the terrain in which they’re found in plus the very acidic nature of the fruit. Due to the fruit being very acidic, extra precaution must be used in harvesting them as not to get burned or injured from too much handling of the grape.
Pesticides, Additives, and Chemicals:
Due to the very hardy nature of mustang grapes and being wild, there are no pesticides to be worried about when talking about wild grape vinegar. The only thing you have to be careful of is to make sure that you’re actually purchasing wild grape vinegar instead of wild grape-flavored vinegar.
Packaging:
Wild grape vinegar is packaged almost exclusively in glass bottles due to their acidity. There are special plastic containers that can be used to store vinegar but those are usually used in heavy commercial applications.
Enjoying Wild Grape Vinegar
Wild grape vinegar is best used in vinaigrettes due to its fruity grape undertones and tartness. Unlike other vinegar that loses a lot of the flavors of the source fruit, wild grape vinegar retains a lot of the complex flavors of the wild grapes. We’ll feature a vinaigrette using wild grape vinegar down below so do make sure to check it out.
Wild grape vinegar is also great in barbecue sauces as it adds a very pleasing tang and tartness to any barbecued meat (it works exceptionally well in pulled pork).
Storage:
Store your vinegar in a cool and dark place with the cap tightly sealed and it should last you for a long time. If the cap isn’t closed tightly then the vinegar will lose some of its flavors after a while.
Make your own Wild Grape Vinaigrette:
We find that the best use for wild grape vinegar is to make a vinaigrette from it as it has a pleasant fruity tartness that’s hard to replicate using any other vinegar.
Ingredients:
Wild Grape Vinegar, 2 cups
Whole grain mustard, 3 tablespoons
Shallots, ¼ cup finely diced
Olive oil (or your oil of choice), 1 ¼ cups.
Honey or Maple Syrup, 2-4 tablespoons (if you find it too tart, you can add more)
Instructions:
Step 1:
Using a food processor, combine mustard, vinegar, shallots, and honey/maple syrup until incorporated. Taste if you need to add more honey/maple syrup.
Step 2:
While processing, drizzle in the oil in a steady stream until it emulsifies and forms a vinaigrette.
Step 3:
Transfer to a clean and sterilized bottle, refrigerate until needed.
This vinaigrette is great on any type of salad, and as an added bonus, this also works well as a marinade for your favorite meats.
