I recently took a trip to Modena, Italy, to learn all about balsamic vinegar and walked away with a newfound appreciation for the art and legacy of the famous “black gold.” We started our trip just north of Bologna, where every bottle of true balsamic vinegar begins with one thing: grapes. But not just any grapes: Lambrusco, Trebbiano, and other local varieties grown in the rich Modenese soil.
We tasted several varieties, and I learned that there are two main types of authentic balsamic vinegar: PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) and PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). The PGI version is the balsamic you’ll most often find in kitchens around the world. The grapes are cooked and concentrated, then blended with wine vinegar and aged in wooden barrels for 60 days (much like wine).
Monari Federzoni
The PDO version or Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is your heirloom: a bottle you open for life’s biggest moments. Each drop passes through a series of five wooden barrels called a “batterie.” Every winter over the course of 12 to 25 years, producers carefully transfer a little vinegar from one barrel to the next smaller one, topping off each with the previous year’s batch. Truly a legacy that continues for generations.
You’ll find a bottle of balsamic on most tables in Modena, and if not, just ask for it. You decide if you want drops or a drizzle, but don’t be afraid to try it in non-traditional ways, like in a cocktail or even gelato—yes, gelato!
And when you’re not eating? Explore the city’s UNESCO-listed cathedral, peek into Ferrari’s hometown museum, visit the opera house named for Luciano Pavarotti, or take it all in as you sip Lambrusco while the sun sets over the piazza.
