Champagne vinegar may sound fancy, but it's actually quite down-to-earth. Bust it out on any ol’ day.

 

## What Is Champagne Vinegar?

Champagne vinegar is a mild, floral vinegar typically made from [Chardonnay](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-about-chardonnay-grape-oaked-vs-unoaked-how-to-serve-and-pairings) and [pinot noir](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/wine-101-what-is-pinot-noir-how-to-serve-pinot-noir-and-how-to-pair-pinot-noir) grapes. Like other wine vinegars, the base wine is combined with bacteria (a “vinegar mother” just like kombucha) and allowed to age and ferment into acetic acid.

What Is Champagne Vinegar? Plus Easy Champagne Vinaigrette

Because it’s so mellow, champagne vinegar shines brightest as a supporting player: douse a pile of little gems, watercress, and frisee with a light salad dressing, add a tablespoon to your [tomato sauce](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-sauce-tomat-classic-tomato-sauce-recipe) or [hollandaise](https://www.masterclass.com/classes/thomas-keller-teaches-cooking-techniques/chapters/hollandaise) to give it a little kick, or use ¼ cup of it to [deglaze](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-deglaze-a-pan-5-easy-pan-sauce-recipes) your pan before a low-and-slow braise. 

Quick pickles start with farmers’ market vegetables and a brine of vinegar, water, salt, sugar, herbs, and spices. They can be kept in the refrigerator for a month. Whichever vegetables you choose, cut them into uniform sizes for even pickling. Use champagne vinegar for its neutral flavor and ability to marry into the brine. 

Though you can pretty much swap any [type of vinegar](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-all-the-cooking-vinegars-you-need-to-know) for another (with certain limits depending on flavors and texture—thick, redolent traditional [balsamic vinegar](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-balsamic-vinegar-balsamic-vs-other-vinegars-and-how-to-use-balsamic-vinegar) shouldn’t be cooked, for example), champagne vinegar lives on the lighter end of the spectrum, so it’s best to start there when substituting. Asian rice vinegar is a good substitute, as is white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar, even though it’s a touch harsher. Red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar can work, but they're doing to be less sweet and much more flavorful and colorful.

Champagne vinegar may sound fancy, but it's actually quite down-to-earth. Bust it out on any ol’ day.

 

## What Is Champagne Vinegar?

Champagne vinegar is a mild, floral vinegar typically made from [Chardonnay](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-about-chardonnay-grape-oaked-vs-unoaked-how-to-serve-and-pairings) and [pinot noir](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/wine-101-what-is-pinot-noir-how-to-serve-pinot-noir-and-how-to-pair-pinot-noir) grapes. Like other wine vinegars, the base wine is combined with bacteria (a “vinegar mother” just like kombucha) and allowed to age and ferment into acetic acid.

Because it’s so mellow, champagne vinegar shines brightest as a supporting player: douse a pile of little gems, watercress, and frisee with a light salad dressing, add a tablespoon to your <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-sauce-tomat-classic-tomato-sauce-recipe' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-sauce-tomat-classic-tomato-sauce-recipe","linkCopy":"tomato sauce","category":null}'>tomato sauce</a> or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/classes/thomas-keller-teaches-cooking-techniques/chapters/hollandaise' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/classes/thomas-keller-teaches-cooking-techniques/chapters/hollandaise","linkCopy":"hollandaise","category":null}'>hollandaise</a> to give it a little kick, or use ¼ cup of it to <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-deglaze-a-pan-5-easy-pan-sauce-recipes' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-deglaze-a-pan-5-easy-pan-sauce-recipes","linkCopy":"deglaze","category":null}'>deglaze</a> your pan before a low-and-slow braise.

What Are the Culinary Uses for Champagne Vinegar?

Quick pickles start with farmers’ market vegetables and a brine of vinegar, water, salt, sugar, herbs, and spices. They can be kept in the refrigerator for a month. Whichever vegetables you choose, cut them into uniform sizes for even pickling. Use champagne vinegar for its neutral flavor and ability to marry into the brine.

How to Make Champagne Vinegar Quick Pickles

Though you can pretty much swap any <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-all-the-cooking-vinegars-you-need-to-know' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-all-the-cooking-vinegars-you-need-to-know","linkCopy":"type of vinegar","category":null}'>type of vinegar</a> for another (with certain limits depending on flavors and texture—thick, redolent traditional <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-balsamic-vinegar-balsamic-vs-other-vinegars-and-how-to-use-balsamic-vinegar' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-balsamic-vinegar-balsamic-vs-other-vinegars-and-how-to-use-balsamic-vinegar","linkCopy":"balsamic vinegar","category":null}'>balsamic vinegar</a> shouldn’t be cooked, for example), champagne vinegar lives on the lighter end of the spectrum, so it’s best to start there when substituting. Asian rice vinegar is a good substitute, as is white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar, even though it’s a touch harsher. Red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar can work, but they&#39;re doing to be less sweet and much more flavorful and colorful.

How to Substitute Champagne Vinegar

Easy Champagne Vinaigrette Recipe 

Champagne vinegar may sound fancy, but it&#39;s actually quite down-to-earth. Bust it out on any ol’ day. <h2 class="">What Is Champagne Vinegar?</h2>Champagne vinegar is a mild, floral vinegar typically made from <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-about-chardonnay-grape-oaked-vs-unoaked-how-to-serve-and-pairings' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-about-chardonnay-grape-oaked-vs-unoaked-how-to-serve-and-pairings","linkCopy":"Chardonnay","category":null}'>Chardonnay</a> and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/wine-101-what-is-pinot-noir-how-to-serve-pinot-noir-and-how-to-pair-pinot-noir' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/wine-101-what-is-pinot-noir-how-to-serve-pinot-noir-and-how-to-pair-pinot-noir","linkCopy":"pinot noir","category":null}'>pinot noir</a> grapes. Like other wine vinegars, the base wine is combined with bacteria (a “vinegar mother” just like kombucha) and allowed to age and ferment into acetic acid.

Champagne vinegar may sound fancy, but it's actually quite down-to-earth. Bust it out on any ol’ day.
 
What Is Champagne Vinegar?
Champagne vinegar is a mild, floral vinegar typically made from Chardonnay (https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-about-chardonnay-grape-oaked-vs-unoaked-how-to-serve-and-pairings) and pinot noir (https://www.masterclass.com/articles/wine-101-what-is-pinot-noir-how-to-serve-pinot-noir-and-how-to-pair-pinot-noir) grapes. Like other wine vinegars, the base wine is combined with bacteria (a “vinegar mother” just like kombucha) and allowed to age and ferment into acetic acid.