Rozendal Wine Vinegars on Special at the Deli This Month
12-year-old biodynamic masterpieces from South Africa
The Rozendal wine vinegars are, to my taste, some of the most wonderful products we sell—and they’re on special all this month (along with a range of our other artisan vinegars) as part of the Deli’s May vinegar promo. Caringly crafted, beautifully presented, exceptionally delicious—if you get them once, I predict it won’t be the last time you take some home. Nearly everyone who tastes them falls in love!
The vinegars are made by the Ammann family in Stellenbosch, on the southwest coast of South Africa. Long a grape grower and wine producer, Kurt Ammann took the family farm organic in the mid-’90s, and then went even further by going biodynamic back in 2001. In the process, the Ammanns have significantly enhanced the soil on their farm. Nothing in a biodynamic setting is taken for granted, and the Ammanns’ work is no exception. Nathalie Ammann, Kurt’s daughter, shares:
We have been farming organically since 1994. Our main focus was biodynamics, but I also did a permaculture course quite some years back and really loved the way design was used to integrate living with your landscape. We still draw on permaculture practices from time to time when relevant. Sustainability and a holistic approach in everything we do remain our firm principles, and we are very proud of the fact that we have not used any chemical fertilizers or pesticides on our property for over 30 years.
Their work in the fields is inspiring! My own study of permaculture has intensified over the last few years, and I was excited to discover that a family whose product I already love has been applying the same principles.
The vinegars start with the natural conversion of the Ammanns’ already well-made and nicely matured wines. This process protects the flavors of the wine as well as the natural health benefits of the vinegar. Herbs are then added, and the infusions are allowed to mature for another four or five years. The total maturation period is about 12 years, all done in oak barrels, and the results, as I said, are superb! Imagine a great balsamic, but with a bouquet of additional flavors—many unique to South Africa—enhancing its excellence. The complexity; the soft, round sweetness; and the long, lingering finish are all there in force. Michael Harlan Turkell, author of the engrossing book Acid Trip, says,
In the tradition of the Bordeaux wines they make, Rozendal’s vinegars are serious but spritely. What started as a “bad” batch (of wine) in 1988 felicitously began decades of great vinegar making in South Africa. Using the traditional French Orleans method, these vinegars ferment slowly and mature in oak; served with a little residual sugar, they leave a lasting impression on the palette, but never overwhelm.
We have four Rozendal vinegars in stock as I write. All are amazing, but Fynbos is my favorite.
- Fynbos Vinegar – Infused with an array of the region’s herbs and flowers: South African honeybush, buchu, wild olive, wild rosemary, and rose geranium. I have a feeling that a homemade mayonnaise using Fynbos vinegar would be super fine and appropriately aromatic on poached asparagus spears.
- Hibiscus Vinegar – Infused with rose hip, elderflower, and vanilla bean.
- Green Tea Vinegar – Infused with chilis, carob, lavender, kelp, and bay leaf.
- Lavender Vinegar – Infused with organic lavender grown right on the farm. Makes a great reduction for lamb.
The Ammann family served these special vinegars for years only in their restaurant. Happily, a decade or so ago, they released some for the rest of us. All are stellar on salads, for sipping, for mixing with a bit of soda water for a nonalcoholic aperitif, or for use in marinades. The brilliant designer Eva Zeisel once said, “Beautiful things make people happy,” and these incredible vinegars certainly fit the bill. Even the tiniest sip will turn my day around for the better, and I’m confident they’ll do the same for you. In a year when we need all the positive inputs we can gather up, here’s a safe, sustainable, healthy, and joyful way to add to the quality of your life! Enjoy!
Again, the Rozendal vinegars are on special all month at the Deli. You won’t see them on the zingermans.com Mail Order site, but if you email us at [email protected], we’ll send you as many as you like!
