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Le vinaigre Balsamique de Modène balsamic VinAgar of Modena
Le vinaigre balsamique de Modène
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is famous throughout the world for the extraordinary
flavour and perfume with which it enriches the culinary art. Rather less well
known are its origins and the traditions involved in its production. As early as
the time of the Roman Empire, grape juice was used and sold both as a sweetener
and as a tonic. Given that grape juice is extremely prone to fermentation, it
was usual to boil the grape must for a considerable time, both to sterilize it
and to concentrate it down to 30-40% of the original volume. In this manner
alcoholic fermentation of the must was prevented, allowing it to be stored for a
long time and therefore to be transported and sold. This product is today called
“Mosto Cotto” (cooked grape-must) and is the raw material from which we produce
Balsamic Vinegar. Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is produced by time-honoured methods, which have, over the years, become enriched by variations born of family traditions. The must of the Trebbiano grape, along with that of other Modenese grapes is boiled over a direct heat until reduced to 30-40% of its original volume. The resultant product, which is called Mosto Cotto (cooked must) or Saba, is then put into barrels already containing a third of the already acetified product from the previous year. Thus, each year’s Mosto Cotto begins the acetification process by virtue of carefully selected ferments from the previous year’s production. Only after one year is the by now acetified product transferred into the largest of a series of barrels known as a “battery”. A battery consists of a minimum of 6 barrels of decreasing sizes, all made of different types of wood, such as oak, chestnut, juniper, ash, mulberry, cherry.. Each year the mature vinegar from the last (and smallest) barrel is taken out for family consumption; this used to be preserved in a special ceramic container called a Tragno. When the vinegar is taken out, at least a third of the vinegar is always left in the barrel, which is then filled up to 2/3 of its volume by decanting vinegar from the previous barrel. This process continues through all of the barrels in the battery. Filling the barrels, which are always left open, to only 2/3 of their actual volume leaves a large surface area in contact with the air, thus allowing the acetic and aerobic yeasts and ferments to work to optimum efficiency. The surface area in contact with air is further increased by the use of small wooden barrels, which are permeable to oxygen. This process, which is extremely expensive due to the cost of the raw material, the continuous evaporation out of the open barrels and, not least, to the amount of work involved in the decanting and the day-to-day maintenance of the barrels, leads, after several years, to a fine product: dark and very dense, but clear with a fragrant, rounded and typically bittersweet flavour. Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena may only be sold at one of two minimum maturation levels – at least 12 years, which is called Affinato (meaning refined) and at least 25 years, which is called Stravecchio (meaning very mature). It must also undergo stringent organoleptic testing by a panel of Master Tasters at the Modena Chamber of Commerce. Balsamic Vinegar that meets the organoleptic criteria must then be bottled, still on Chamber of Commerce premises, in the typical bottles prescribed by the Procedural Regulations. Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
Production of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena adheres to the traditional method, but
uses an industrial process with shorter refinement and maturation times. The
final product which, in order to maintain consistency, is allowed to be
corrected with a blend of balsamic vinegars of varying maturations, must then
undergo a process of refinement in wooden barrels prior to bottling.
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