Where does Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP come from ?

With a dark, brownish hue, the balsamic vinegar derives much of its flavor and coloring from the barrel like casks its stored in as well the decades of experience behind the craftsmen who oversee the process from choosing the grape to bottling.

For the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena to be considered vintage it must be aged for a minimum of 25 years, while gradually being put in casks of differing sizes, with the variety of woods helping to imbue the balsamic vinegar with its unique interplay of sweet and sour notes and iconic color.

Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO is obtained from various local grapes varieties, namely Lambrusco, Ancellotta, Trebbiano, Sauvignon, Sgavetta, Berzemino and Occhio di Gatta. After the grapes’ pressing, and before fermentation begins, the grape must is cooked outdoors, over a direct flame at a temperature of around 80 ° C / 176 ° F.

The product is then left to age into a series of small barrels kept in attics, subject to strong thermal seasonal excursions, which cause evaporation and subsequent concentration of the product. It is aged for at least 12 years; however, to be considered vintage it must be aged for a minimum of 25 years, while gradually being put in casks of differing sizes, with the variety of woods helping to imbue the balsamic vinegar with its unique interplay of sweet and sour notes and iconic color.