The production of Balsamic Vinegar is one of the oldest crafts in the world.
It is said that the first evidence of its existence dates back to the times of the ancient Romans.
It is therefore possible that they were the ones who invented Balsamic Vinegar or, better, its ancestor, Saba: a thick and sweetish syrup with multiple uses, obtained from the cooking and consequent reduction of grape must.
This product with such noble origins has traveled through the centuries, passing from people to people, from hand to hand, from tradition to tradition, until it reaches our tables today.
But let’s understand where it comes from and what are the steps to make the much-famous Black Gold.
The main ingredient is the cooked grape must, the grapes coming strictly from the lands of Emilia, because it is said that only in Emilia there is the right soil to ripen the grapes suitable for the production of balsamic vinegar.
Precisely for this reason, balsamic vinegar is produced only in the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia.
But let’s go back to the recipe for the traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena.
Cocked grape must after several hours of boiling at high temperatures in large steel tanks, is decanted into wooden barrels of about 200 liters, where the slow process of maturation and aging begins.
Thus, year after year, the grape must is decanted passing from barrel to barrel from the largest to the smallest, thus allowing the vinegar to lose its acidity and gradually become thicker and creamier over time.
Its heady scent is given by the barrels in which it resides for some time. The battery, made up of 6 or 7 barrels, is made up of the finest woods:
- Chestnut
- Oak
- Acacia
- Juniper
- Cherry tree
In addition to the cooked grape must, the main ingredient is therefore time.
The more time is spent, the creamier and more valuable the traditional balsamic vinegar will be.
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