"Aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena" Photo: stock.adobe.com/Studio Gi
Small bottles with a big impact: Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena is one of Italy's finest foods - and one of the most strictly protected.
Once you taste the original, you immediately realise why it has nothing to do with supermarket balsamic vinegar. It is a concentrated expression of flavour. What makes the real Tradizionale special:
The origin
Only vinegar, which in the province Modena produced using the traditional method may bear the D.O.P. (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) seal. This EU-wide protected label guarantees that every drop comes from one of the few certified Acetaien - and meets the strictest quality standards.
Photo: stock.adobe.com/Max
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The base
Boiled grape must, and nothing else. No added vinegar, no sugar, no caramel, no colourings. The essence comes exclusively from nature - and from the patience of the people who refine it. What follows is a maturation process that takes many years: the balsamic vinegar is stored for at least twelve years in a so-called "Batteria" - a series of wooden barrels that vary in size and type of wood. The best varieties even mature for 25 years or longer and are labelled "Extravecchio".
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The storage
Made from wood species such as cherry, chestnut, mulberry, ash or oak, the barrels release their flavours over time and give the balsamic vinegar its unmistakable depth. The result is a product with a velvety, syrupy consistency that combines sweet, sour, fruity and woody notes in an incomparable way. Who Modena should not miss out on a guided tour of a traditional acetaia.
It is bottled exclusively in small 100 ml bottles, which have a special shape and are officially sealed. The price? Correspondingly high. Each of these bottles contains not only years of ageing, but also craftsmanship.
The use
Tradizionale is not used in salads, but where it can shine: on its own on a plate. Parmigiano Reggianowith fresh strawberries, vanilla eggsson risotto, even with dark chocolate. It is not a flavouring - it is the main actor.
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The origin
Historically, balsamic vinegar can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Originally, the dark, sweet and sour vinegar was considered a medicinal elixir. It was only much later that it became a luxury item for gourmets and symbolised the culinary sophistication of the Emilia-Romagna.
The difference to the supermarket
It is particularly important to distinguish it from "Aceto Balsamico di Modena" - the mass-produced product with the IGP seal. Wine or brandy vinegar, caramel and additives may be added to this product, which often only matures for a few months. Tradizionale, on the other hand, is pure, slowly matured and produced by hand.
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