2025 Verjus of Sauvignon Blanc

Estate Grown / Hand-Harvested
Alcohol free
Retail sales price $28.00

What is Verjus?

Somewhere between vinegar, wine, and sparkling grape juice sits verjus, a product made by pressing unripe wine grapes harvested early in the growing season. Our Verjus blanc is the unfermented, non-alcoholic juice of unripe sauvignon blanc grapes. Also known as “verjuice,” this “green juice” is a versatile alternative to lemon juice or vinegar in salad dressings, sauces, marinades, and non-alcoholic drinks, bridging the flavors of food and wine without competing with them.

Key characteristics:

  • Flavor: Delicate, tart, and sweet with a crisp acidity, offering a softer flavor than vinegar. 
  • Non-alcoholic: It is grape juice, not fermented wine, making it suitable for non-alcoholic beverages and cooking. 
  • Versatile: A culinary ingredient used to add acidity to a variety of dishes. 

How it’s used:

  • Beverages: A base for non-alcoholic cocktails and mocktails or mixed with sparkling water and ice. 
  • Cooking: In making sauces, poaching fish and meat, and as a braising liquid. 
  • Salad dressings: As an acidic ingredient in vinaigrettes. 
  • Marinades: To add a subtle tartness to marinades. 

Once our product is opened, we recommend keeping your verjus in the refrigerator. For freshness, use within 30 – 45 days after opening. If you’d like to extend the life of the verjus, pour juice into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, transfer cubes into a freezer bag. Pop a cube or two out as needed.

Culinary uses for verjus

  • Vinaigrettes and dressings: Because verjus has the same acidic properties as wine, it can be used to make dressings and vinaigrettes that won’t interfere with the flavor of a wine served with the meal.
  • Pan sauces: Use verjus to deglaze a pan after cooking meat or fish to capture all the flavorful browned bits. Whisk it with some butter for a light, fruity, and acidic finish.
  • Marinades: The gentle acidity of verjus is perfect for marinating poultry, meat, and seafood. It can also be used in marinades for ceviche.
  • Poaching: Create poaching liquids for fruit or delicate seafood. For desserts, you can poach pears with verjus and spices like cinnamon or cardamom.
  • Sauces for delicate proteins: Use white verjus to create sauces for chicken or fish, such as a beurre blanc.
  • Reduced sauces and glazes: Like wine, verjus can be reduced to create a more concentrated sauce or glaze for roasted meats and vegetables.
  • Substitute for other acidic ingredients: Use verjus as a less-aggressive replacement for lemon juice or vinegar in most recipes.
  • Refreshing beverages: Mix verjus with sparkling water for a light, non-alcoholic spritzer. It also works well in cocktails as a mild and complex sour component. 

Red vs. White verjus

Just like wine, verjus comes in both red and white varieties, each with slightly different flavor profiles. 

  • White verjus: Made from white wine grapes like Chardonnay, it has a crisp and tangy flavor with notes of green apple.
  • Red verjus: Made from red wine grapes like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, it offers a more earthy flavor with notes of fig and prune. 

Tips for cooking with verjus

  • Keep it refrigerated: Since verjus is unfermented and non-alcoholic, it must be refrigerated after opening and will keep for a few months.
  • Balance the acid: Verjus is less acidic than lemon or vinegar, so you may need to use a slightly larger quantity to achieve the desired level of brightness in a dish.
  • Experiment in small doses: If you’re new to verjus, start by adding a little at a time, tasting as you go, to ensure you don’t overpower the other flavors in your dish.