What is Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and How is it Made?

A drizzle on a Caprese salad, on top of pizza, even on ice cream and strawberries- balsamic vinegar is the perfect complement to so many dishes. However, the range in price and quality of products labelled as “balsamic vinegar” is vast, largely due to the fact that true Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is only produced in specific areas of Italy and comes with quite the hefty price tag. 

How is Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Made?

True balsamic vinegar, sometimes referred to as “black gold,” is only made in the Modena and Reggio Emilia provinces of Italy. The production of this precious vinegar is strictly controlled, and its sales are regulated to ensure quality and uniformity. The crushed grapes, or grape must, which includes the skins, seeds, and stems, is cooked over a wood fire and then aged in fired-wood barrels that were previously used to age balsamic. The cooked must is transferred to smaller and smaller barrels made from different woods as it ages. The barrels used for aging balsamic vinegar are called a battery, and typically include 5, 7, or 9 barrels, each crafted from different types of wood, including ash, juniper, oak, mulberry, chestnut, and cherry. 

During this process, known as the Solera System (also called "travaso," which means decanting or pouring,) moisture is lost from the must, and the caramelized mixture thickens as its sugars concentrate. Probiotic wild yeasts colonize the mixture, and their activity ferments the mixture, raising its acidity, and turning it to vinegar. The balsamic vinegar must be aged for a minimum of 12 years, but some are aged for up to 25 years. After the requisite 12 year-minimum, a small amount of vinegar is withdrawn from the smallest barrel to be bottled, and the vacated space is topped up with vinegar from the second-smallest barrel. This topping-up process is repeated up the line of larger and larger barrels. 

After aging, the resulting thick and syrupy-sweet balsamic vinegar must undergo quality testing before it can be sold in the regulated 100ml bottles. These tests include those for density, dry solids, and dry solids without sugar. Only if it scores high enough in its testing, can the balsamic vinegar be bottled by the regulatory body for these products, known as the Consortium of Ancient Vinegar Producers. The PDO label, indicating the Protected Designation of Origin (DOP in Italian for Denominazione d'Origine Protetta) for traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena, is awarded, along with a unique number and seal. You see this history and commitment to quality reflected in the price tag of true balsamic vinegar. Back in the day, it was common for an Italian woman’s dowry to include balsamic vinegar or a battery of balsamic vinegar barrels, and these barrels are still passed down in families to this day.

Not that many bottles of true balsamic vinegar make it out of Italy, and when they do, said price tag can be eyebrow-raising to people who are unfamiliar with the storied process. Fortunately, a similar product – balsamic condimento- is produced in the exact same regions in Italy at a more accessible price point and in larger quantities. Instead of waiting for the wild yeast and bacteria to colonize the cooked must, balsamic condimento is made by inoculating the mixture with a small amount of red or white wine vinegar to kickstart the fermentation process. Many of the remaining production steps are the same, and result in a rich, complex condiment that can be used in the exact same way as true balsamic vinegar at a fraction of the cost. To read up on how our dark and white balsamics are made, check out our blog on Balsamic Vinegars at Evoolution.