Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI
The Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI is an excellence produced in quantity and timing capable of responding to the great international demand, thanks to the excellent quality-price ratio.
Suffice it to say that more than 90 million liters are produced annually, almost 90% of which are destined for the foreign market: a real success for Italian exports.
The habit of mixing grape must cooked with wine vinegar is ancient, as evidenced for example in “Register of harvests and sales of wines on behalf of the two Secret Cellars of the Ducal Palace of Modena” of 1747 which lists 8 varieties of vinegar, including the recipe with wine vinegar.
This type of vinegar probably arose from the need to have a versatile and tasty product , but which did not require the long maturation times of the recipe with only cooked must.
From here therefore derives what we know today as Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI (Protected Geographical Indication). This product is protected by the European Union and is subject to a regulation that defines its characteristics and production methods.
The grape must used must necessarily come from seven typical vines (Lambrusco, Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Albana, Ancelotta, Fortana and Montuni) and can be used cooked, concentrated or even partially fermented. The other indispensable ingredient in the recipe is wine vinegar , which can also be aged added in an aliquot at the manufacturer’s discretion.
By varying the percentages of must and vinegar in the recipe and depending on the presence or absence of aged wine vinegar, very different products are obtained, with a more acidic site, or rounder, more or less dense, etc. This explains the great choice that can be found today on the market of IGP balsamic vinegars
The different recipes are often the result of research handed down for generations by producers, in fact in many cases the current companies are the evolution of ancient family businesses that produced their special products at home.
Today it is possible to find on the market a large number of products that fall within the certification of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI
In fact, by varying percentages and compositions, very different products can be obtained.
For this reason our line of vinegars is wide and varied . We have thought of products that can respond to the different needs of the consumer, guaranteeing unique flavors and sensory experiences every time.
But how to understand the characteristics of a product and what are the best combinations?
To help our customers we have listed characteristics and recommended combinations in each product sheet, but in general, to find your way around the mare magnum of vinegars, it may be useful to know some basic information.
Reading the label is always a good idea: the list of ingredients on the label is always sorted in descending order. It means that the first ingredient is the one present in greater quantity in the finished product.
In the case of balsamic vinegar: if the first ingredient is wine vinegar, you have a fluid and pungent product, perfect to use as a daily dressing especially for salads and marinades. If, on the other hand, the first ingredient is cooked must , we are faced with a denser product, characterized by greater sweetness and intensity of complex aromas, suitable for combinations with meats and aged cheeses.
The greater the concentration of must in the recipe, the greater the density of the product. To regulate the density can vary from a minimum of 1.06 to over 1.30 (on a scale where as a reference we can consider water which is 1 and that of honey which is 1.42), therefore from very fluid products up to super dense.
To help distinguish the densities of our products we have chosen to use an ancient symbol: the florin , one of the first Italian coins minted after the fall of the Roman Empire.
The more florins on the label, the higher the density of the product.
If the wording “Aged” is visible on the label it means that the product must have remained in cask for at least 3 years, as per the regulations. The time spent in wood affects the aromas and organoleptic characteristics of the product, making the sweet-sour ratio even more balanced.
Dense and aged products are those that lend themselves to particular combinations , for example with strawberries and ice cream, but there are no limits: the best thing is to be guided by your taste and intuition, experimenting and tasting the various types of vinegar. .
The important thing is to always choose quality products, a blend of excellent raw materials and the result of years of experience and passion, such as those that we are proud to present in our Fiorini family line.