From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
Also Chinese vinegar. The Chinese have been using rice to make vinegar for more than 3,000 years. There are basically three kinds of rice vinegar. White rice vinegar is colorless, similar to Western vinegars, but less acidic and milder; it is used extensively in stir-fries, sweet-and-sour dishes and in pickling. Red rice vinegar is darker in color, with a unique blend of sweetness and tartness; it makes an excellent dip and is a key ingredient in shark's fin soup. Black rice vinegar is dark, with a deep, smoky flavor, made with glutinous or sweet rice, although millet or sorghum are sometimes used instead. However, the best black rice vinegar is made with only rice, water and salt. Black rice vinegar is often used in braises, as a dipping sauce and a substitute for balsamic vinegar. There are differences between rice wine and rice vinegar, which many people confuse. Enjoyed by the Chinese for more than 4,000 years, rice wine is made using a fermentation process involving yeast, which transforms the sugars from glutinous rice into alcohol. When making rice vinegar, the fermentation process goes one step further, adding bacteria to turn the alcohol into acid. It's easy enough to confuse the two, since they often sit side by side at the grocery store. The fact that rice vinegar is also called "rice wine vinegar" doesn't help matters. See also rice wine.
