Another trip to Italy (Part11): Balsamic vinegar

Julian, now I am going to write about my visit to the "acetaio (vinegar cellar)". In order to understand a balsamic vinegar, you must know it has different categories in this product.

The one is used for daily consumption, including a use of salad dressing, can be said "balsamic dressing". This is labelled "Aceto Balsamico". If you look at the label, it shows various ingredients: wine vinegar, sugar, calamel colouring etc. It is fabricated through a factory proces. It takes a few days to get a final product. Well, I would say it is a good vinegar: sweeter and denser than ordinary vinegars. As long as you choose the one labelled with the certificate of Aceto balsamico di modena.

Here we talk about an authenic product, which is called "Aceto Balsamico TRADIZIONALE di Modena". It is made with only "cooked grape malt". It is aged in 12 years at least. (There is a product of 6 years but it can not be called with the name.) It is dense like a syrup, sweeter and less acid. It is aged in barrel of six different types of wood: oak, cherry ect. Each wood contribute to the quality of Aceto Balsamico. The one with 24 years: You may not use as salad dressing as it is dense and sweet. Instead, it is recommended to use two or three drops on meat, table-cheese and fruit. The one aged 12 years costs 42 euro and the one aged 24 years costs 72 euro at the cellar.(It can be more expensive at retailing shops).






(left: called "Saporoso 6years") (centre: 12 years) (right: 24 years)



http://www.acetaiamalpighi.it