MINUS 8 VINEGAR
AVAILABLE ALL YEAR
Minus 8 is a family-owned vineyard in Niagara, Canada, where the hot summers and cold winters allow them to craft exceptional vinegar and verjus from their grapes. Their first and flagship vinegar, Minus 8, was named after the temperature at which the grapes were harvested.
An experiment involving a barrel of ice wine and acetobacter starting in 1996 has resulted in 9 vinegars and 3 verjus, sought after by some of the best chefs world wide.
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Icewine is made from grapes that remain on the vine during the winter months and naturally freeze allowing the skins to crack and start to slowly begin to oxidise. When the temperatures fall below minus 8 degrees Celsius for several days, the freezing cold naturally concentrates the grape juice. The grapes are then picked and pressed to extract the exceptional juice.
Many of the Minus 8 vinegars and verjus begin with grapes grown, hand-picked and pressed in the style of icewine. Others are made from specifically grown and perfectly ripe tomatoes, or apples picked from local orchards and pressed the same day, grapes grown in the shade, or the best maple syrup made bespoke for Minus 8 in Québec. Some products take months to make, and others many years.
THE MINUS 8 RANGE
Each vinegar and verjus is made with the same exacting quality and taste principles, which are:
Quality is always singular
Taste is always extraordinary
Every vintage, each product may vary but must stay true to its core
MINUS 8
Named for the temperature at which their grapes are harvested to make the icewine which forms the basis of this premium vinegar. A deep, amber colour with a concentrated viscosity and a complex, aromatic aroma with sweet rich flavour.
MAPLE 8
Made with the finest quality Quebec maple syrup, this is the only vinegar of its kind. Naturally sweet it delivers a crisp acidity and full palate of maple, oak, honey and vanilla notes - ideal for use in savoury dishes, patisserie and mixology.
VEGET8
Made from blended Cabernet Franc icewine and Roma tomatoes. Medium sweet, with balanced zesty acidity and notes of green mango, rhubarb cucumber, and bouquet garni. The perfect foundation to sauces, dressings and marinades.
L8 HARVEST
This delicious vinegar is made from the rich, sweet wine made from grapes picked in the winter harvest. The grapes are pressed when they are are frozen, creating juice that is rich in flavour, natural sugars and grape acids.
APPLE 8
This beautiful cider vinegar is made from a select blend of delicious Canadian apples. Slowly fermented and made into vinegar, the flavour of fresh-pressed apple juice shines through. Ideal for savoury, dessert, and cocktail applications.
DEHYDR8
Made using traditional methods to retain the delicious flavours and aromas of the Riesling grapes, this oak-aged vinegar is truly indulgent. Sweet and tangy, it features flavours of dried fruit, vanilla, pineapple and notes of Oloroso sherry.
CONCORD8
Concord 8 is produced using the finest Canadian grapes which produce an intense, sweet flavour - perfect for puddings and pastries. Complex, aromatic and barrel-aged, it also boasts a delightful deep, dark amber colour.
IP8
A small-batch aromatic vinegar, the IP8 vinegar starts its life as IPA style beer blended with the sweet juice from icewine grapes. Rich hoppy notes combine with a sweet caramel and barley flavour, with a lingering and complex citrussy finish.
ORIGINAL BARREL
Drawn from the very first barrel of Minus 8 vinegar in 1997, this has naturally concentrated, developed in flavour and thickened while aging in French oak. Each of the limited edition 60ml bottles has a dropper for precise application.
8BRIX WHITE
An ‘ice’ verjus made with premium wine grapes hand-picked at five intervals from August to January for a complex, layered flavour with a grassy aroma and mouth-watering acidity. As the grapes ripen, flavours and sweetness increases.
MAPLE BRIX
Sour and fruity pure premium Minus 8 grape musts are blended with the best Québec maple syrup. Slightly reserved and elegant on the nose, with enticing aromas of maple syrup, green mango, white peach and honey.
8BRIX RED
Combining the juices of grapes from five harvests across the growing season results in a complex and layered palate, playing off the sweet and sour flavours. This verjus makes a mouth-watering addition to cookery and mixology alike.
