The 2026 USI Vinegar Competition Winners announced!

I’m elated to announce a list of elite acetic acid: congratulations to the 2026 USI Vinegar Competition Winners! 2026 surely showed it’s a big balsamic year with over 20 medals in the category, and Modena’s own La Vecchia Dispensa as the European Vinegar Maker of the Year — garnering golds for their red and violet labels, as well as our only Double Gold for their Black Pearl IGP! Monari Federzoni wins a gold in back-to-back years, as Fattorie Giacobazzi, gets one on their first try, with silvers for Mazzetti, Acetaia Malpighi and Jordan Olivenoel.

A Canadian, Surrette Condiments, is the North American Winner, and brings apples into eminence. Hudson Valley Vinegar holds steady with a nice, bright showing, while Michigan celebrates its cherry culture with medals for Red Truck Orchards and Little Long Ear Provisions, who also was awarded for their “deep, dark and decidedly different” black garlic, as we previously profiled in our As Sweet (and Sour) As Cherry Pie article. All in all, it was a great year for vinegar (as noted by The New York Times: Ingredient of 2026 … we can’t wait to see what you all have fermenting for the next USI Vinegar Competition!

With acidity,

Michael Harlan Turkell (The Vinegar Professor)