Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP

It enriches our cuisine every day and gives our salads, dressings and sauces an exclusive touch - we are talking about: Aceto Balsamico. But not all balsamic vinegars are the same - the range of products on the market varies from less than one euro per liter to over 1,000 euros per liter! The question naturally arises as to which product is good and of high quality and which is not.

However, it is important to keep an eye on the product names:

1. Condimento/Sour Condiment
2. Balsamico/balsamic vinegar/balsamic condiments
3. Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP
4. Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP & Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia DOP

There are only clear specifications, minimum standards and regulations for points 3 and 4. For this section, we take a detailed look at point 3, the Aceto Balsamico di Modena with the addition "IGP". According to the EU Commission, this product designation has been legally protected since July 2009 and sets out regulations and specifications regarding ingredients, production and controls. This means that if it says Aceto Balsamico di Modena (IGP) on it, it must be inside! Unfortunately, this should be taken with a grain of salt. It is merely a minimum standard. We would like to list the most important aspects in brief below:

• Minimum acid content: 6% in total
• Viscosity: min. 1.06 (at 20 °C)
• Refinement/maturation: min. 60 days
• Refinement/maturation: in barrels made from high-quality wood such as oak, chestnut, mulberry or juniper
• Production: at least 20% grape must (from the Lambruschi, Sangiovese, Trebbiani, Albana, Ancellotta, Fortana or Montuni grape varieties) + ten-year-old vinegar (with at least 10% pure wine vinegar)
• Permitted additives: up to 2% caramel by volume can be added to the finished product to "stabilize the color"

Good Aceto Balsamico di Modena must therefore meet more than the minimum standards. Here is some advice on how to recognize it:

Buying Aceto Balsamico di Modena

Advice 1: Look at the list of ingredients - A good aceto does not need any additives (caramel) and consists only of grape must and wine vinegar. At the same time, the order of the list can be an indication of quality. If cooked grape must comes first, this is the main ingredient and tells you that the balsamic vinegar is of a higher quality.

Advice 2: More density, more quality - The longer the ageing process, the denser (more viscous) the balsamic vinegar will be. The minimum ripening time is 60 days and a viscosity of 1.06. Some of our aceti ripen for several years and therefore have a higher viscosity. Our organic Aceto Balsamico di Modena, "Sua Maestà", I.G.P. without additives is worth mentioning here, for example.

Advice 3: The packaging counts - Aceto Balsamico di Modena may only be sold in glass, wooden, ceramic or clay containers. If you find balsamic vinegar in a plastic bottle, it is definitely not the original from Italy.