Vinegar

Grapes are grown and wines are made in every part of Italy. It is not surprising, therefore, that Italian vinegar is obtained almost exclusively through the acetification of red or white wines. It is true that specialty vinegars are made from other fruits in various parts of the country but their production is extremely limited. Italian laws strictly regulate the vinegar sector--for example, vinegar and winemaking facilities must be kept absolutely separate. The production of Italy's two most famous vinegars begins not with wine but with the unfermented juice of grapes. Several decades ago, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia DOP were relatively unknown but today they are in demand in countries throughout the world. These two vinegars have extremely ancient origins, since the techniques used in their production were applied, basically without change, by the ancient Romans and other peoples. Both vinegars are made from white grapes--or possibly in some cases red varieties--that are widely cultivated in the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia. The must is cooked down over open fires and then fermented in large barrels. Afterward, the "mother" is added and the resulting vinegar is aged for at least 12 years. Each year, it is transferred to a smaller barrel in a "battery" consisting of containers made of five types of wood on average. The most common woods are cherry, mulberry, juniper, oak and chestnut. Each gives the vinegar a distinctive flavor or odor. The balsamic vinegars are expensive because of the enormous loss of volume during prolonged aging. After 12 years, 18.4 gallons of fresh must at the beginning of the process shrinks to a maximum of about three quarts of mature vinegar. The flavors and aromas of the two vinegars are so extraordinary that only a few drops are necessary to add a special touch to virtually any preparation. Aceto Balsamico is now extensively marketed but, while it is often a valid product when it is a blend of the traditional and regular vinegars, it is not in the same class (or the price) of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale of Modena or Reggio Emilia.