Sirk vinegar has a cult-like following. Hailing from Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the northeast corner of Italy, Sirk is revolutionizing how we think about vinegar. Intensely aromatic with the bright floral aroma of Ribolla Gialla white wine grape, it has a round and complex flavor with notes of concentrated unripe fruit. Those familiar with the white wines of the Collio region will recognize this vinegar’s lovely orange color and the distinctive smell of Friuli. This region is also famous for cured meats, so pour a few drops on salumi plates, rustic soups, or stews. This highly versatile vinegar adds aroma and flavor to eggs, fritters, asparagus, fatty fishes like eel or salmon, and oysters and balances the sweetness in desserts like sorbets, berries, and caramelized sugar.
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In Collio, the terrain and breezes off the Adriatic sea create a unique microclimate perfectly suited to the cultivation of the Ribolla Gialla grapes used to make Sirk vinegar. Josko Sirk and his team have disrupted the conventional wine vinegar world by rejecting the idea that vinegar should be made from outcast grapes deemed unworthy of wine. Their exceptional vinegar is made with the same precious grapes that would otherwise produce prized Collio wine. Industrial vinegar production is dictated by speed and cost reduction; wine is converted to vinegar in about two hours, resulting in a mundane product with a flatly standardized flavor. At Sirk, however, they allow their own organically-grown grapes to ferment slowly for five years in Slovenian oak barrels. The result is a genuinely unique vinegar bottled without any filtering or preservatives.
Sirk Grape Vinegar is a beautiful, distinctive expression of the finest grapes, perfect for passionate, attentive food lovers. Take Josko’s advice: “Choose vinegar - and use it - with the same care and thoughtfulness as you would a high-quality wine.”
