Making Wine Vinegar... The signs of obsession...

It was a good Christmas.  I got to Long Island and there was a huge, open bottle of wine waiting for me.  Unfortunately, it would be days before I could drink it.  Work & Dr's appointments totally messed up my drinking schedule.  And even though we have invested in the vacuum bottle bottle re-corker/stopper, Il Bastardo would not wait for me.  (The story of my life!!!) I decided that the leftover bottle of Il Bastardo 100% Sangiovese would be my inaugural attempt at making wine vinegar.

I've always toyed with the idea of making my own wine vinegar with the leftover wines I have.  (yes, sigh, the unfortunate part of living alone is a lot of leftover wine)  So, I now have an Italian crock to make wine vinegar in (see below for a pic of my first attempt)  and on order, I have a 5L oak barrel for the same purpose.  2010 will not only be a year of travel for me but it will also be the year of Wine Vinegar! (I'm beginning to think that in a former life I was an Italian farmer's wife)

More posts to come.

 

UPDATE:  I had to switch to a 5 litre oak barrel.  I was worried about the brass fittings on the crock above.   The Barrel is working out perfectly! Here it is now (1/2011) left, and when I first bought it (1/2010) below (notice that I had the stand upside down!).  I've used the vinegar sparingly, but it does have an amazing taste.