Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

Abstract

The term ‘balsamic vinegar’ is frequently applied to describe sauces, condiments and dressings with particular sweet taste. In Italy there are two types of balsamic vinegar: ‘balsamic vinegar of Modena’ and ‘traditional balsamic vinegar’. The first is a flavoured wine vinegar obtained by blending cooked must and wine vinegar and, in some cases, by adding a small amount of caramel. Traditional balsamic vinegar (TBV) is made in Modena and Reggio Emilia with cooked grape must, through a three-step process: conversion of sugars to ethanol by yeasts; oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid by acetic acid bacteria (AAB); and, finally, at least 12 years of ageing. The final product is a highly dense, dark-brown aged vinegar, having a sweet and sour taste, fruity and complex in flavour.