What is a vinegar made with whole grapes?
Sirk grape vinegar is made exclusively with Ribolla Gialla grapes, the best of the Collio region of Friuli. These grapes, traditionally used to produce exceptional wines, are instead transformed by the Sirk family into a revolutionary vinegar.
“If it is true – and it is – that a great wine is made with great grapes, it is thanks to such superior vineyards that I make my superlative vinegar; it takes me a few years and, in the meanwhile, I must look after it and pamper it just like an infant.” –Joško Sirk
Natural fermentation is front and center in the production line of Sirk vinegar: the ripe grapes, whole and with their skins still on, undergo maceration and spontaneous fermentation in the acetaia (vinegar house) for one year.
Finally, the young aceto spends three to four years in small Slovenian oak barrels to develop and sharpen its aromas.
Vendemmia 2019 just came to an end, and the Sirk family has one more reason to proudly celebrate. This year their ‘vigneto piccolo’ (the small vineyard) gave the first fruits. They had started recovering the vineyard in 2015, pursuing the dream of a field to bottle, full cycle production.
Mitja Sirk describes the ‘vigneto piccolo’ as “2800 vines of Ribolla Gialla that enclose the acetaia just like a frame.”
Sirk vinegar is a beautiful, unique expression of local grapes treated with reverence and respect.
With a tart, refreshing flavor, Sirk vinegar elevates any recipe that calls for a touch of sour. in particular, it pairs marvelously with eggs and with rustic soups, such as barley and beans, or even with tripe! Just few drops on fish rich in fat, like eel and salmon, and you’ll have perfectly balanced dishes. Or play with contrasts: try Sirk Grape vinegar on caramelized fruit to reach a funky ‘agrodolce’ twist.
