A light flavored vinegar made from rice wine which has been created by adding a bacteria culture to the wine, thus beginning a fermentation process that produces the vinegar. Rice vinegar is available as a sweetened (also known as seasoned) or unsweetened version of vinegar. Since rice vinegar has less acidity than other vinegars, the sweetened vinegar is a good choice for vinaigrettes on greens, providing a mildly sweet flavor as a salad dressing. The unsweetened version provides a very mild acidic flavor to cooked foods and is a very popular ingredient for a variety of Asian food dishes.