Champagne Vinegar vs. White Wine Vinegar: What Is the Difference?

Champagne vinegar and white wine vinegar are very similar to each other in terms of color and smell, which often leads people to wonder: what is the difference between champagne vinegar vs. white wine vinegar? In this guide, we break down the difference between champagne vinegar and white wine vinegar and explain how to get started cooking with champagne vinegar.

Champagne Vinegar Flavor vs. White Wine Vinegar Flavor

Both champagne vinegar and white wine vinegar are made the same way, by allowing wine to ferment until it sours. The wine turns into acetic acid, a very weak acid that is suitable for cooking. Champagne vinegar and white wine vinegar are made from different types of wine, which is why they have different flavor profiles. As the names indicate, champagne vinegar comes from champagne and white wine vinegar comes from white wine. Due to the wines used to make them, both types of vinegar have a light color, liquidy texture and relatively mild flavor.

However, champagne vinegar and white wine vinegar do have distinct flavors, just as champagne and white wine have different tastes. Champagne vinegar is less acidic and lighter in flavor, which makes it ideal for cocktails as well as drizzling over food without cooking. Champagne vinegar is a great choice if you are trying to enhance the flavors already present in a dish. (Learn more about “What is champagne vinegar?”)

White wine vinegar is more acidic and has a stronger flavor, which can become overwhelming if too much is added to a dish. You might want to reach for white wine vinegar if you are trying to impart a significant amount of acidity to a dish.

Sometimes, additional flavors (natural or not) may be added to further adjust the flavor of the vinegar. Be careful when buying the cheaper brands at the supermarket, which are known for having added chemicals thrown in to keep the price down. However, when done right, these added fruits and vegetables can take the flavor to the next level. For instance, our PARASOL champagne vinegar is extra fruity (and delicious) thanks to the navel and Valencia oranges that we ferment it with. Once you get a taste of it, you will want to put it on everything.

Cooking with Champagne Vinegar

Most people are familiar with cooking with white wine vinegar, which is more widely available and more commonly used in recipes. However, they may be more hesitant about cooking with champagne vinegar. In fact, they may not even have tried champagne vinegar before. Some people might also mistakenly believe that champagne vinegar does not offer enough flavor to make it worth adding to their pantry staples.

When used properly, champagne vinegar is an excellent addition to many different meals and beverages. We love to keep it stocked at our home bar, where we can add it into homemade cocktails made from scratch, like this gin fizz recipe bartender Elliott Clark devised for us. (Champagne vinegar is also a great addition to nonalcoholic drinks, too.)

Champagne vinegar is also perfect for adding just a touch of acidity to dishes when you do not want to overwhelm the other flavors. It works with even the most delicate of ingredients, and it goes well with fruit in addition to the more traditional vegetables and grains. That is why Chef in Residence Noreen Wasti used our PARASOL champagne vinegar to add a kick of acidity to the dressing for her simple yet delicious orzo salad. “PARASOL is really the star here. It cuts through the entire salad with acidity and brightness,” she said.

Ready to start cooking with champagne vinegar? Grab a bottle of PARASOL from our online store. It is packaged in a beautiful glass bottle with a cork stopper that is 100 percent recyclable. Our champagne vinegar is made on a family-run farm on California’s Central Coast, and the intimate nature of the farm means that we can have the highest quality control — and deliver the best product to you. Order today to get our champagne vinegar shipped straight to your door. Do not forget to check out our other flavored vinegars, too!