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The whole global production of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO slightly exceeds 1,000 litres per year. If compared with the millions of litres of other products claiming to be “Balsamic”, this confirms the excellent quality and great value of the product – as well as the high costs of the production process.
Unlike all other “Balsamic” products, this is no “secret recipe” mixing and blending different ingredients; rather:
The Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO is ONLY obtained from cooked autochthonous grape must from Modena (Ancellotta, Berzemino, Lambrusco, Occhio di Gatta, Sauvignon, Trebbiano, Sgavetta, in addition to other RDO and RGDO varieties), without any added substances.
It is obtained through a long and careful evolution inside groups of casks of different sizes and arranged in decreasing order. For centuries, those casks - called “Batteries” – have traditionally been preserved and placed in the attics of houses. Production and refinement go hand in hand.
After at least 12 years the vinegar drawn from the smaller casks can be defined “TRADITIONAL” Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, after 25 years it is termed “EXTRA-OLD” Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (always pursuant to the rigorous PDO regulations).
Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is always and exclusively drawn from the smallest cask and accounts for 3% of the whole reserve. Every year, in order to top up the levels, small quantities are skilfully replaced by transferring vinegar from the larger casks to the smaller ones according to very strict criteria.
Natural climatic changes determined by the alternating seasons promote the natural biological processes of alcohol fermentation, acetic bi-oxidation and enzymatic lysis which create the texture and complex aromas of balsamic vinegar.
Long, endless maturing, concentration and ageing processes complete the full development of the product in perfectly balanced harmony and lead to the sweet and sour character of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO.
The final bottling quality is checked for each single lot under the strict monitoring of an ad-hoc tasting board. |
