The 4 Best Swaps For Champagne Vinegar

There are many different types of vinegar, each of which can have varied uses. Champagne vinegar can be easily made with leftover Champagne, but might not be as readily found in your pantry as other staple vinegars. Rather than go out of your way to make or source Champagne vinegar, you can find plenty of fine options for substitutes, including rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, and even apple cider vinegar.

When it comes to understanding Champagne vinegar, it's important to note that it has a mild level of acidity and a fairly light flavor. Often used in salad dressings or to deglaze a pan, you'll want to find a substitute with similarities in taste and viscosity. For example, balsamic vinegar is much too harsh and thick to act in place of Champagne vinegar because it is syrupy and has a bite. For a Champagne vinegar substitute, you'll want something light and versatile.

First and foremost, knowing the differences between seasoned and unseasoned rice vinegar will help you determine which would be the most appropriate substitute. Seasoned rice vinegar is sweeter and has a stronger flavor than unseasoned rice vinegar, but either one can take the place of Champagne vinegar depending on the intended use. Both rice vinegar and Champagne vinegar tend to be on the sweeter side, though you might want to opt for an unseasoned option such as Kikkoman Rice Vinegar if you want to have a lighter touch.

Just as Champagne vinegar is made from fermented Champagne, so too is rice vinegar made from fermented rice. Only slightly lower in acidity than Champagne vinegar, rice vinegar shares a similarly light color and mellow flavor that makes it an excellent choice to use in place of Champagne vinegar. You can actually swap in rice vinegar for Champagne vinegar at a 1:1 ratio as they are so close in composition. And, in addition to being available on Amazon, it can also be easily found at most local Asian markets.

Similar to Champagne vinegar with regard to the fermentation process, white wine vinegar is made from — you guessed it! — fermented white wine. In fact, both white wine vinegar and Champagne vinegar share the common ingredient of the Chardonnay grape. And like Champagne vinegar, white wine vinegar also has around a 5%-7% level of acidity. Visually and compositionally, the two share many commonalities.

This vinegar is an optimal choice as a substitute for Champagne vinegar as the two are also close in flavor and consistency. Ideally, you can swap in white wine vinegar for Champagne vinegar at a 1:1 ratio, taking care to dilute it if it seems like the taste is too strong. White wine vinegar is prevalent and easy to find in your local grocery store or by grabbing a bottle of Whole Foods White Wine Vinegar on Amazon.

If you're looking for a Champagne vinegar substitute that has similar uses, then sherry vinegar is the perfect choice, particularly if one of those uses is to star in your next salad dressing. Made with palomino grapes, sherry vinegar is another wine-based vinegar that shares a number of similar characteristics with Champagne vinegar but at a slightly higher level of acidity and with more fruit-forward notes. Slightly darker in color than Champagne vinegar, it is nonetheless a close relative.

Given that it has a somewhat more intense overall flavor than Champagne vinegar, it's advised to mind the strength of your sherry vinegar's flavor and acidity. If you want to bring the impact down to be closer to that of Champagne vinegar, you can either dilute your sherry vinegar slightly or use a little less of it in your cooking. For marinades, dressings, and more, a sherry vinegar like O Olive Aged Sherry Vinegar makes an excellent swap for Champagne vinegar.

This choice might seem like the furthest departure from Champagne vinegar on the list, but apple cider vinegar is a surprisingly worthwhile contender to act as a substitute. Tangy and particularly fruit-forward, apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apple cider, which contains apples, yeast, and sugar. There are a variety of popular apple cider vinegar brands currently on the market, making it an especially accessible choice. It's so easy to grab a bottle of apple cider vinegar from Amazon Fresh or from your local supermarket to use in place of Champagne vinegar.

In addition to being widely available, apple cider vinegar has a host of health benefits. With an acidity level of 5%-6%, there is a closeness to that of Champagne vinegar along with a mildly sweet taste. One consideration is that it is a bit more bold than Champagne vinegar, which means you don't have to use as much of it to achieve the same desired taste. Additionally, apple cider vinegar has so many different uses that it's worth keeping in your pantry both as a substitute for Champagne vinegar and for any other number of options.