It is a prized Italian product and now together we will discover its history, production and uses in the kitchen of the famous Modenese balsamic vinegar.

For the uninitiated, it is characterised by its dark/brownish colour, good density, and pleasantly sour and well-balanced taste, with hints that change depending on the type of wood in which the vinegar is aged.

The history of Balsamic Vinegar

The name of balsamic vinegar is inextricably linked to its territory, which has been inhabited since ancient times: as early as the 3rd century BC. The ancient inhabitants of the Modena area had to find ways to contribute to the production of wine, and came up with the idea of boiling the must to avoid fermentation and vinification.

In the mid-18th century, the term balsamic appeared for the first time in the records of the cantina degli Estensi. The adjective was clearly linked to the product’s special curative properties, used against plague sores or to combat migraines. Over the course of the centuries, balsamic vinegar has been increasingly appreciated in the national and international food and wine scene, until it was awarded PDO recognition by the European Community in 2000.

Balsamic vinegar PGI: characteristics and production

In 2009, Modena Balsamic Vinegar was awarded the PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) designation by the European authorities. It is a food and wine product of great excellence, appreciated throughout the world, whose production is strictly protected by specifications jealously guarded by the Consortium of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. Here are all the steps involved in its production:

• Pressing of the grapes from the vineyards of the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Albana, Lambrusco, Sangiovese and Trebbiano), followed by the production of must and its partial fermentation, cooking or concentration.
• To give the vinegar its organoleptic characteristics, a dose of vinegar at least 10 years old and one dose of wine vinegar (at least 10% of the total product) is added to the must.
• Aging in wooden barrels for a period of at least 60 days, at the end of which the product is examined to see if it really has all the necessary characteristics to be defined as a Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI..

The Aceto Balsamico di Modena I.G.P. Biologico Platino boasts a very harmonious, smooth and acetic flavour and has a brilliant deep black colour. With its intense aroma and fresh fruity flavours, it is ideal for those who like to enhance and flavour every dish with an excellent, high-quality Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Organic I.G.P..

From the union of the best Must and Wine Vinegar, obtained exclusively from grapes grown on the family’s land using the Organic method, comes a special Organic Balsamic Vinegar of Modena I.G.P. characterised by a very high density. This product is designed purely for an increasingly large and demanding organic clientele.

Let’s see what its ingredients are:

• Cooked grape must, wine vinegar. It is a 100% organic product. It contains no preservatives, dyes, thickeners, antioxidants, sweeteners or added sulphites.
• Acidity: > 6%.
• Density: approx. 1.34