White Wine Vinegar – Orléans V.S.

White wine vinegar from Orléans, aged nine years

Martin-Pouret’s V.S. white wine vinegar is a nine-year-aged Vinaigre d'Orléans made from French white wine. Not an everyday vinegar, but a rare barrel-aged specialty with deep notes of candied fruit and vanilla.

White wine vinegar V.S. is what Martin-Pouret calls its most refined Vinaigre d'Orléans, aged for nine years in oak barrels. V.S. stands for “Vieillissement Stupéfiant,” or breathtaking aging – and that is no exaggeration: candied fruit, a hint of vanilla, and deep, concentrated aromas at 7 percent acidity. A rare vinegar for special moments.

It glows a deep golden color in the glass and offers aromas of candied fruit, nuts, and oak; on the palate, it is fruity, profound, and lingering. It remains clear and fluid like a wine – it is the aroma that is concentrated, not the consistency. Nut, candied fruit, and warm oak come together in a single drop.

Nine years of barrel aging, concentrated and deep

The V.S. white wine vinegar tastes more complex and deeper than any young vinegar. Nine years in the cool cellars of Orléans condense the flavors into candied fruit, fine nuts, and warm vanilla. Nine years of time that no process and no haste can ever shorten.

The longer a vinegar rests in the barrel, the more concentrated its aroma becomes – nine years is an eternity for a vinegar, and that is exactly what you taste. The 7 percent acidity carries these flavors, clear and precise, without ever becoming harsh.

Used by the drop for fine dishes and as a gift

The V.S. white wine vinegar belongs in fine cuisine and paired with quality oil: a few drops over steamed fish, seafood, a carpaccio, or an exquisite leaf salad. A little goes a long way, as its aroma is dense. One drop on the plate says more than a whole spoonful of a young vinegar.

Sip it neat, like a fine wine – this is how it shows its full depth. It is too good for cooking and makes a wonderful, elegant little gift for connoisseurs. For everyday use, reach for the younger, three-year-aged V.R. white wine vinegar, or our rosé wine vinegar for something lighter and fruitier.

The last vinegar master of Orléans since 1797

Orléans was once the vinegar capital of France; around 1810, the city on the Loire boasted around 400 vinegar makers, and a royal decree had already ennobled its vinegars and mustards as early as 1580. Today, only one house remains: Martin-Pouret, the city's last vinegar master since 1797.

Its vinegar matures according to the slow *méthode d'Orléans* in the open air and in oak barrels – the slowest process known to vinegar production. The fact that a house allows a vinegar to age for nine years shows what this is all about: not mass production, but mastery. In 2019, David Matheron and Paul-Olivier Claudepierre took over the house and continue this legacy, which, in addition to vinegars, also includes gherkins and mustard from Martin-Pouret. It is truly remarkable what nine years of patience can do for a vinegar.

By the drop and always raw

The V.S. should always be used raw and by the drop – added over the finished dish, never cooked along with it. A few drops over fish, asparagus, strawberries, or a piece of mature cheese will make the moment special. Stored in a cool, dark place, it will keep for years – a little bottle to save for special occasions.