China's Famous Vinegars Collection

Baoning Handcrafted Black Vinegar, 20 Year, 17 oz
Representing Southwest China, Sichuan's Baoning vinegar is unique among the famous vinegars in being an herbal vinegar. It is called so because its qu, or fermentation starter, is made from dozens of herbs and spices used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It does not take like medicine, but it does have a distinctly savory taste and is less sweet than its fellow famous vinegars. It has a bill of six grains, and the lead grain is wheat bran. It's a natural for Sichuan food and other Southwest cuisines. As the oldest, most complex and fullest bodied of the vinegars in the collection, it is best used in cold dishes and dipping sauces.

Ninghuafu Handcrafted Shanxi Mature Vinegar, 9 Year, 17 oz
Representing China's North, Shanxi mature vinegar is sorghum-based and is the most robust of the famous four. It includes roasted grains, which darken the color and give it a slight tinge of smoke. This vinegar is recommended for dishes with long cook times, as it can stand up to the heat in braised and steamed dishes, but in Shanxi it also goes straight into the bowl as a topper of any broth or noodle. Being Northern, it has an affinity not only for wheat noodles, dumplings and bao, but also for beef and lamb.

Hengshun Zhenjiang Handcrafted Vinegar, 6 Year, 20 oz
Still often called by its old name of Chinkiang in the West, Zhenjiang is the most famous of the famous vinegars in the U.S. because Eastern exporters in Jiangsu Province got a head start. Ninety percent of China's vinegar exports are Zhenjiang, but the majority of those are the cheap supermarket version, aged for 6 months. This premium version is aged in 6-year crocks, and the difference is eminently noticeable. Glutinous rice is the lead grain in this bold and ever so slightly sweet vinegar, making it very versatile across Chinese cuisines.

Shanxi Province lays claim to the earliest vinegar making in China, dating it to the Western Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-771 BCE), with the brewing production method in place by 1368. But Baoning vinegar also traces its ancestor back extremely far in Chinese history, to the Shang and Zhou dynasties, before being named Baoning in 936 CE. Later, the formula was improved by an imperial vinegar brewing master in the late Ming dynasty, who incorporated Chinese herbal medicine in the qu and established it as the standard for wheat-bran vinegar brewing in Southwest China.

Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar was first created in 1840 and quickly gained fame both domestically and internationally, first being exported in 1909. While Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar traces back only about two centuries, Zhenjiang’s vinegar-making industry goes back at least 1,400 years, to the invention and development of glutinous rice vinegar.

All three vinegars are China Time-Honored Brands and hold National Intangible Cultural Heritage for their traditional brewing techniques. They each hold protected Geographic Indication, meaning they can be made only in their place of origin, as it plays an integral role in their flavor and authenticity.

China’s grain-based vinegars taste quite different from the West’s fruit and wine vinegars, and we don’t recommend a Western vinegar for Chinese dishes.

Western recipes always call for Zhenjiang vinegar because for decades it was the only Chinese black vinegar widely available outside China. But now you have so many options, and we highly recommend matching the vinegar to the cuisine and type of dish you are cooking. Then again, we also recommend just using your favorite in whatever way you want!

Chinese black vinegar should be stored in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight and heat sources (preferably a closed cupboard or pantry). Ensure the bottle or container is tightly sealed to prevent air from entering and oxidizing the vinegar. Proper sealing helps maintain its flavor and quality.

Naturally brewed vinegars do not expire; dark sediment is normal. No refrigeration is necessary.

Products in this collection include wheat.

All the vinegars are all natural, with no additives or preservatives. See individual product pages for a complete listing of ingredients and nutrition facts.