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finest balsamic Vinegars are born in the lovely rolling hills of Modena,
between the Secchia and Reno River valleys in the provincial northwest
of Italy where barrels made from resinous woods give fine Balsamic Vinegars
their unique flavor.
Balsamics are a study in balance and contrast. Sweet and sharp. Spicy
and mellow. The process begins with gently crushing the wine grapes
and concentrating their juice over an open flame. Then the sweet thick
grape "must" is fermented once by yeast to make alcohol. Then fermented
again by the "madre" culture to make the smooth and subtle sourness
for which Balsamics are known.
The process of becoming vinegar occurs in wooden barrels. As the volume
decreases through evaporation over the years the maturing liquor is transferred
to smaller and smaller casks, each with its special blend of aromatic
flavoring woods. The filled barrels are placed in the attic for ideal
temperatures, hot in Summer, cold in Winter. Over years of aging, the
fruit and spice and mood of the finest Balsamic emerges.
Complex flavor in fine Balsamic Vinegar comes from this long and exacting
aging. A variety of woods are used including durmast, chestnut, ash,
cherry and mulberry. Balsamic vinegar makers keep a secret art in the
matching and blending of resinous aromatic wood staves. One taste of a
truly fine Balsamic will make clear why it is worth all the effort. Balsamic
Vinegar is truly in a class apart from other vinegars. Unlike the sharp
tastes we usually associate with vinegar, the balsamics present a rich
dark complex of sweetness and intrigue.
While Balsamic Vinegar lends itself well to a stunning vinaigrette, it
may find its highest expression in distinctly un-vinegar-like roles such
as a splash on fresh fruit or ice cream. It should come as no surprise
that when Balsamic Vinegar was first produced, more than 600 years ago,
it was reserved exclusively for the use of the nobility by Ducal fiat.
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