The Champagne Vinegar Swap You've Been Needing

Champagne vinegar adds a sophisticated touch to vinaigrettes, marinades, and sauces — but it's also hard to track down at some grocery stores. No need to worry though. You can count on white wine vinegar as an easy-to-find flavor enhancer and substitute for champagne vinegar. Both types of vinegar are made by fermenting white wine (or champagne in the case of champagne vinegar) until it turns into acetic acid. This acid is weak, so it makes these kinds of vinegar perfect for cooking rather than cleaning.

Where white wine vinegar has the upper hand compared with champagne vinegar is in its flavor profile, since it's punchier and more acidic. This is often attributed to the wine itself and how the fermentation process affects its taste. Unlike balsamic or red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar boasts a light color so it's barely noticeable at first glance and won't affect the appearance of your dish. However, you'll notice a sharp kick that will wake up your taste buds and bring out the astringent notes in your food. Before buying a bottle of white wine vinegar (or trying your hand at making it from scratch), it's good to know the ins and outs of using it for maximum flavor and why it's such a great swap when you can't find the champagne variety.

Let's take the guesswork out of using white wine vinegar. First things first: It's fine to substitute it in a 1:1 ratio for champagne vinegar due to its similar flavor and color. If you're not big on measurements, tasting and adjusting the amount of white wine vinegar in your dish also works. Just remember that you don't want to add too much, or else you'll end up with a bitter-tasting meal.

The stage at which you add the vinegar will vary by recipe. However, cooked dishes usually involve adding it toward the end of cooking to maintain its robust acidity, while cold dishes incorporate the vinegar with the other ingredients right away.

Wondering about the versatility of white wine vinegar? It's perfect for brines, rich sauces like hollandaise and béarnaise, cucumber salad, and braises. It's even used in iconic cocktails such as the Celery Gimlet and the Once Upon a Time, as it balances the sweeter elements in each drink. Hopefully, this will get you on board with making white wine vinegar one of your go-to ingredients.