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Top > Web Pages > Frequently Asked Food Questions > What makes Balsamic Vinegar so special? |
Question: What makes Balsamic Vinegar so special?
Answer: Beware inferior imitations! Real Balsamic Vinegar is born exclusively in the hills of Modena, in the northwest of Italy where barrels made from resinous woods give fine Balsamic Vinegars their unique flavor.
The process of making Balsamic vinegar begins by gently crushing the wine grapes and concentrating their juice over an open flame. The sweet thick grape "must" is fermented once into wine and then again by the vinegar "madre" culture to produce the smooth and subtle tang for which Balsamic vinegar is so well known.
The process continues in wooden barrels. As the volume of liquid evaporates over the years, it is transferred to ever smaller casks, each made of aromatic flavoring woods. These barrels are stored in the attic for the ideal conditions, hot in Summer, cold in Winter. Over many years of careful aging, the complex character of the finest Balsamic emerges.
One taste of a truly fine Balsamic will make clear why it is worth all the effort. Unlike the harsh sourness often associated with vinegars, Balsamic vinegar presents a rich and subtle dark complexity of flavor.
While Balsamic vinegar is particularly suited to vibrant vinaigrettes, it works surprisingly well in un-vinegar-like roles, accompanying fresh fruit or even ice cream.
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