L'aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena

The Aceto Balsamico di Modena is an artisanal product and a traditional excellence of the area; since 1986 it has been protected by DOC certification and since 2000 by DOP protection. The production is divided into four stages, all of which take place in the Modena area. First of all local grapes are selected and harvested by hand to check their quality and prevent fermentation, then they are gently pressed, cooked for up to 12 hours in open-air boilers reaching 95 degrees, fermented with the aid of natural yeasts and ferments, and then left to age for at least 12 years in barrels of decreasing size.Two product lines are then marketed from the vinegar cellars: the “affinato” vinegar (aged), which is aged for 12 years, and the “extra-vecchio” vinegar (extra-aged), aged for 25 years. The vinegar is sold in small spherical glass bottles with a rectangular base, reminiscent of tasting flasks, known as “gugiari”; each “gugiaro” must be sealed and marked with a production number on the red, cream, or gold cap. The gold cap is reserved for extra-aged vinegar, which has a sweeter, syrupy flavor, while the others are for aged vinegar.