Chinese Artisan Vinegar Production (Zhenjiang Hengshun / 镇江恒顺醋)
Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province — Tang dynasty origin
Zhenjiang (Chinkiang) black rice vinegar from the Hengshun company is China's most prestigious cooking vinegar — made from glutinous rice through a two-stage process: alcoholic fermentation followed by acetic acid fermentation, then aged in clay jars. The result is deeply coloured, mildly acidic, with wine-like fruity complexity. Essential for Shanghainese red braising, Sichuan cold dishes, and northern Chinese noodles.