Considered Modena’s “black gold,” balsamic vinegar is a unique product with a thousand-year history. Modena is rightfully proud of its signature delicacy and is anxious to share it. In fact, Modena’s balsamic vinegar is known all over the world, but it deserves to be experienced in greater depth, from its origins in the vineyard to the table (and beyond).
This excursion will give you a deeper understanding of this symbol of Modena’s culture and history.
Before you set out to discover this intriguing world, however, it’s important to clarify the two types of balsamic vinegar: Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP (PDO -protected designation of origin) and Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP (PGI protected geographical indication). Production methods and the raw materials that go into them make the difference.
Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP, one of the finest artisanal products in the world, is perfected in the silence of the balsamic vinegar factories and through a precise decanting technique and years of refinement and aging. It is prepared from cooked grape must (unfermented juice) and allowed to mature and ferment through a slow, natural acidification process. Then, it is aged for years in casks made of various kinds of wood, becoming increasingly concentrated over time. No other ingredients are added that would affect taste or aroma. It can be sold only when aged minimum 12 years and can be named "extravecchio" only after minimum 25 years. You can find it only in a specific bottle (100ml) designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, all the producers must use that one.
Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP is a blend of partially fermented, cooked, or concentrated grape must (a minimum of 20%), wine vinegar (a minimum of 10%), and aged vinegar (at least ten years old). Acidification takes place either as a result of the addition of colonies of bacteria or the well-established methods of “slow surface” fermentation or “wood chip” fermentation. Subsequently, the liquid is refined in wooden barrels or casks for a minimum of sixty days. The area where PGI balsamic vinegar is produced lies between Modena and Reggio Emilia.
