If you’re a foodie, and you love traveling to Italy for the food, chances are you’re familiar with the traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena— or traditional balsamico di Modena — as it’s known in Italy. And maybe even what the fuss is all about.
The Italian aceto, or vinegar, is the most traditional Italian condiment on the table. In fact, it may be one of the most traditional foods in the entire world!
Modena’s balsamic vinegar is akin to ketchup in the US, tabasco in Louisiana, or pico de gallo in Mexico — all traditional and beloved condiments that tell a real story of life and the local food culture.
So why all the fuss about vinegar? Modena is the home of this iconic Italian food product and when it comes to balsamic vinegar, Modena is the place to try it.
As you’ll see, balsamico tradizionale made in Modena is aged up to 25 years and one drop of aged balsamic takes whatever you’re serving to new heights..
This food is life, really — with all its ups and downs, war and peace, feasts and famines, the growing pains and labor pains, the hellos and the goodbyes.
Modena balsamic is love and life, in a bottle. And you thought it was just vinegar!
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Balsamico di Modena is the traditional food made in Modena and the region of Emilia Romagna. It is one of Italys unique regional foods and one of the authentic foods of Emilia Romagna you have to try when youre here.
Named for Modena, Italy, the small town in Emilia Romagna where local families continue the age old tradition of producing balsamic in the attics of their family homes, it’s almost criminal to call this traditional Italian food vinegar, because the taste is anything but, well, vinegar-y.
Rather, the unique aging process (which takes decades) turns it into a sweet, thick syrupy food that adds a perfect sublime flavor to so many traditional Italian dishes and famous foods.
Along with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto ham, balsamico di Modena is the third distinct food of the Big 3 made in Modena — like the Holy Trinity of Italian foods!
Balsamico di Modena also happens to be a perfect accompaniment to Parmigiano Reggiano, the King of Cheese, and the salty aged hams that Emilia Romagna is known for.
Doilies cover the small hole in the barrels to keep dust out and still allow evaporation
It’s called Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (DOP), and it’s the highest quality — and therefore the most expensive — balsamic vinegar in the world.
What is Balsamic Vinegar Made From?
Balsamic vinegar is made from cooked grape juice, called “must”. There are no skins involved and no fermentation process involved as in wine.
We first learned the process of making balsamic di Modena on a balsamic vinegar Modena tour when we visited Villa San Donnino, a small family-run operation in Modena on a day trip from Bologna.
We’ve also visited one of the oldest and largest balsamic producers in Modena, Guiseppe Giusti.
But there are many acetaias in Modena you can visit, where you can learn about how the traditional aged balsamic is made, taste different variations, and pick up a bottle or two to bring home.
One of them is in Spilamberto, at the Consorteria and Museo Aceto Balsamico, a local museum and home to Modena’s Consortium which promotes the local culture of balsamico.
But why is it so expensive? Tiny bottles of Balsamic di Modena sell upwards of a few hundred dollars. Yes, you heard me right. Better savor that drop, because it just cost you $10!
Authentic balsamic is aged in small wooden barrels for a very, very long time.
The good stuff sits in an attic for 25 years, a few pipettes syphoning some off now and then and adding it back into progressively smaller barrels containing older balsamic, until many years later when the end result is similar to a syrupy reduction you’d cook on the stove.
Now do you understand the reference above? It’s a waiting game and a pretty amazing one at that. A lot of life happens in 25 years.
Alimentari gets their balsamic from the Sante Bertoni vineyard in Montegibbio in the region of Emilia Reggio, Italy. Alimentari owner Donna Lennard has been working with the Sante Bertoni family for the last 20 years, using the Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes grown on the vineyard.
“Each wood lends its unique flavor to the aging aceto, and each wood variety adds more complexity and richness,” says Rubin. “This process take 20-plus years of aging to complete, not including the growing and harvesting of grapes. The longer the vinegar ages the thicker it becomes in consistency and richer in flavor. The price increases in correlation to the amount of years it has aged.”
Il Buco Alimentari in New York City — which opened in 2012 and serves as a sister restaurant and market to the famed Il Buco — sells the most expensive balsamic in America. Alimentari makes only 10 bottles available a year, with each 100-ml bottles (about the size of a small perfume) selling for $95 each, and there are only 10 bottles available every year.
“Typically, we sell one every two months, then in the Christmas season, we sell the rest,” Danny Rubin, Alimentaris director, tells CNBC Make It. “Its more of a gift; I wrap it up beautifully. People like to get it to give to someone else.”
Originated in Italy, balsamic is a dark, viscous and intensely flavored vinegar made from grape must (unfermented juice). It has a rich and sweet flavor with notes of fig, molasses, cherry, chocolate or prune. Traditionally, it should pick up the flavors of the oak it matured in.
$3 vs $150 Balsamic Vinegar…explained
FAQ
What is the really expensive balsamic vinegar?
How can you tell if balsamic vinegar is high quality?
What is the famous balsamic vinegar in Italy?
What balsamic vinegar do chefs use?
What is the most expensive Balsamic Vinegar?
The most expensive balsamic vinegar is traditional balsamic vinegar (DOP), or aceto balsamico tradizionale, produced only in Modena or Reggio Emilia. Traditional DOP aged balsamic has a protected designation of origin (DOP) as regulated by the Italian Government and the European Union, which sets the highest quality standards for food production.
Is balsamic vinegar gluten free?
Naturally, balsamic vinegar does not contain gluten, as the ingredients used in its preparation are only grapes. However, commercially available balsamic vinegars may contain gluten through cross-contamination. Check this information on the label to consume safely and consciously.
How to buy balsamic vinegar?
To buy a good one, look at the color and price — the darker the color, the thicker and sweeter it should be. The more expensive IGP vinegars will be more complex in flavor. The most expensive balsamic vinegar is traditional balsamic vinegar (DOP), or aceto balsamico tradizionale, produced only in Modena or Reggio Emilia.
Is balsamic vinegar real?
Traditional balsamic vinegar also carries a certification from the European Union, guaranteeing its quality and place of origin, according to Serious Eats. This authentic vinegar is as rare as it is pricey, with only about 20,000 bottles produced annually (via Italy Magazine ).