True Balsamic

Vinegar has been used as a preservative and dressing since 2,000 BC in China or 3,000 BC in Egypt depending on which part of history you are reading and there are hundreds of different vinegars out there to choose from but the King of Vinegars is Balsamic.

We have all had balsamic vinegar either when we have been to the local Italian restaurant or when it has been served as a dressing on a salad in one of the posher restaurants but do you know if you have ever had true balsamic vinegar?

The first recorded mention of balsamic vinegar is in documentation from 1046 and has historically only been made in Italy, but things are changing.....

There are now 3 types of balsamic - those made in the traditional method and known as Aceto Balsalmico Tradizionale, those made on a commercial scale using new techniques Aceto Balsalmico Modena and the 3rd being a combination of both.

The modern method allows for thousands of liters to be made in just 24 hours but the traditional methods take  a lot, lot longer. A minimum of 12 years to be exact and are all blends and there are now only 2 consortia that are making it in the traditional way - Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia

The process of making traditional balsalmic start with white grapes, only Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes, which are boiled down in to syrup and then put in to a series of 12 different barrels made from different woods, a different one each year and allowed to ferment.

The barrels are made from diverse woods such as acacia, chestnut, cherry, ash, oak and mulberry and each barrel is slightly smaller than the one used for the year before.

It is the barrels that give balsamic vinegar its unique blend of tart and sweetness and make it so prized by chefs and gourmands as the vinegar absorbs the flavors of the wood.

A small portion of the vinegar evaporates every year and this is known as the "angel's share", the same as in the whisky industry

True Balsamic vinegar only comes from the last of the barrels after it has gone through its 12 year aging process. The contents of the next oldest barrel are then transferred in to the newly emptied barrel and so on all the way up to the contents of the largest barrel whose contents were only put in there the year before and made from grapes picked that year.

For truly spectacular balsamic vinegar the process is extended to 18 or even 25 years resulting in a vinegar that has a unique sweetness to it and is totally wasted on a salad. It does however go brilliantly with aged Parmesan Cheese - preferably 9 month minimum

Good traditionally made balsamic vinegar can go for as much as $400 for a 100ml bottle and many of these are unique in shape.

 Reggio Emilia use colour coded labels to depict the age, red for 12 year aged, silver for 18 year aged and gold for 25 year aged whilst Modena use a cream-coloured cap to denote vinegars aged for 12 years or more and a magenta cap for vinegars over 25 years old making it much easier to locate your preference in the specialist stores.

Balsamic vinegar has many uses including to many people's surprise desserts such as panna cotta and creme caramel and thanks to its digestive properties has also been used as a drink at the end of a traditional Italian meal.

So the next time you are in a good Italian restaurant take a look at the bottle on the table and if it has the word Tradizionale on the label ask for some Parmesan cheese and just relish its taste.