Step 1

Pour the wine into a clean jar and stir for a couple of minutes to help remove sulfites. (See Note.)

Step 2

Add the water and the mother of vinegar (MOV). Cover the jar with a tightly woven cloth, fastened securely with a rubber band or string to keep out impurities and bugs.

Step 3

Place on the counter or another warm spot (75° to 86°F).

Step 4

After about a month, taste the vinegar. Kirsten recommends testing the pH, which should be 4.0 or lower.

Step 5

Fill a clean, narrow-neck bottle with vinegar close to the top. A flip-top bottle with a rubber gasket provides a strong, air-tight seal that won't corrode like the metal lid of a mason jar. Make a new batch of wine vinegar with the mother or store it to make more vinegar later. Use the vinegar immediately or allow it to age and mellow.