Delicious Discoveries: Madera winery making red wine vinegar

Used for thousands of years, vinegar has been one of the most versatile foods around. And these days, more people are adding vinegar to their dishes for bold flavor without the fat or calories. One of the newest locally made vinegars to be introduced is Lombardy Gourmet Pomegranate Red Wine Vinegar.

Made by the owners of Pacific Crest Vineyard & Wine Company in Madera, the red wine vinegar is crafted in an Old World style, including aging in wooden barrels for five years. Lombardy’s is unfiltered and contains wine from several grapes: Barbera, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Zinfadel. The vinegar is named after the northern Italian region where wine and vinegar maker Martin Nonini’s family is from.

The aging gives the vinegar a smooth flavor, while the pomegranates impart a slight sweetness.

“It has a rich and full flavor,” says Julie Nonini, who sells the bottles for $7.99 at Guliano’s Fruit Stand, 13233 Highway 41, Madera.

Nonini says the vinegar works well as a salad dressing, in pasta salads and for marinating meats. Nonini also likes to combine equal parts olive oil and pomegranate red wine vinegar, plus a pinch of salt and pepper, to use for dipping crusty bread.

Red wine vinegar can also be added to beef stews, barbecue sauces, and for sauteed vegetables for an extra punch of flavor.

This story was originally published June 2, 2015 at 6:50 AM with the headline "Delicious Discoveries: Madera winery making red wine vinegar."