Issue #16: The Curious Case of Balsamic Vinegar

There is a lot of depth to the ancient grape product

Perhaps it’s my naïveté, but I’d never thought about the qualifications of balsamic vinegar. 

I’m well aware of the requirements to be a Champagne, Scotch, or one of the many other products with a designation of origin. Balsamic, though? Never crossed my mind. 

That was until a few weeks ago when I received a pitch that found there are precise guidelines for balsamic and a massive underground operation to produce imitation balsamic. In fact, in 2019, Interpol seized 9,000 gallons of crushed grapes in Italy, which were destined to become balsamic knockoffs.

There are two real balsamic vinegars: PGI, aged for a minimum of 60 days, and PDO, aged for a minimum of 12 years. 

To better understand this incredible ingredient, I checked in with a member of the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Consortium, founded in 1993 and made up of 50 companies. The consortium was awarded its geographical protection in 2014 by the Italian government and the European Union. 

The ins and outs of balsamic vinegar

The idea of balsamic vinegar dates back to ancient Roman times, when grapes were cooked down into a product called septum, which was used as a sweetener, condiment, and medicine. 

Those cooked grapes would often ferment themselves into an acidic liquid, first documented by Lucius Columella in the 1st century AD. It wasn’t until the 13th century, however, that Moderna began making its name for itself as home to the unique vinegar now known as Balsamic — a name first used officially in 1747.

Italians have known about this special vinegar for ages, but its widespread use began in the 1980s when American chefs began incorporating it into menus, particularly in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. 

The versatile use in salads, vegetables, marinades and even desserts helped push its popularity. 

But just like anything, with demand came an opportunity for people to fake the products. 

The Consortium says the products are extremely easy to fake but very often fall short in quality. Labels might say the bottle contains balsamic vinegar, but they lack any production rules and quality assurances that true balsamic vinegars have. 

These imitations are often “extremely sweet, lacking the same ingredients, maturation, aging and ultimately flavor, of the originals.” 

A real balsamic vinegar will have a red and yellow seal declaring its true status. And that’s because its production method is intense. 

The initial batch must meet specific density, acidity, and sulfur dioxide numbers, among other things. It also must hit certain color, aroma, and flavor profiles. The longer-aged PDO must age for at least 12 years in wood barrels in Modena —something that the Italian Agriculture Ministry checks annually. Expert tasters must approve the vinegar before bottling, and about 15% of batches don’t get approved in their first tasting. 

Picking up balsamic suddenly became much more complicated for me — something that happened with olive oil a while ago, as well! (Just a taste of the olive oil world.)

Once you’re sure you have some authentic, real-deal balsamic, the Consortium suggests trying it out on some dishes like: 

• Pumpkin cooked in the oven

• Slow-cooked onion

• Eggs prepared any way

• Salmon or other fatty fish

• Vanilla and pistachio ice cream

• Vanilla or raspberry Greek yogurt 

• Chocolate desserts

• Risotto with parmigiano reggiano

• Grilled meats

• Valerian lettuce and strawberry salad

They even suggest a spoonful after a meal to help digestion. 

“While it is rather rare and expensive, it has the power to elevate the simplest of dishes, adding incredible aroma and flavor,” the Consortium member, said while adding that it is almost always used without cooking or adding heat. “Try it dotted on aged cheeses, seasonal fruit, vanilla ice cream, fresh pasta, meat or fish.” 

Types of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena:

• Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGA, aged a minimum of 60 days

• Invecchiato, or aged, is a minimum of 3 years

• PDO is aged a minimum of 12 years

• Extra Vecchio, or extra old, is 25 years or more

Literary Libations

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been enjoying The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. Taking place on Chicken Hill in Pottstown, Pa., it’s the story of black and European-born immigrants relying on the power of community to get through life while in the confines of white America.

The book opens with someone uncovering a buried skeleton, but this book wouldn’t be classified as a mystery. Like other books by McBride, it’s one best consumed slowly. Don’t pick this up if you’re looking for a quick summer read. Interwoven within the artfully crafted sentences is beautiful character development.

I’m pairing this book with a Scotch, a beverage best consumed slowly. Both Scotches and this book develop over time, change as you get into it, and leave you looking at life just a bit differently.

Chona’s Scotch

• Your favorite Scotch (I’m selecting Laphroaig from Islay, Scotland) (Editor’s note: We discovered in Scotland that Alyssa is a smokey Scotch girl!)

• Large ice cube

Serve in a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Read and enjoy.

What Pat’s Drinking

To help celebrate a fun occasion the other day, a buddy and I opened up a Glenlivet 14. The Scotch, finished in cognac barrels, was delightfully smooth with subtle stone fruit notes — delicious! (Editor’s Note: Not a smokey Scotch.)

National Peach Day is August 27th, so if you get a chance, find yourself some Juliette Liqueur. The peach liqueur is phenomenal, even just to sip on itself or in cocktails… but I’m a particular fan of just mixing it into some unsweetened iced tea.

The people over at William & Helde sent over a variety of flavors of Crush, 10 Barrel Brewing’s sessionable sour beer, that is not so much sour as just a nice light fruity tang.

Speaking of iced tea, we’ve noted a few brands of Hard Iced Tea before and my favorite is still Lipton, the legacy tea brand! It is a little dangerous, though, because of how easy it goes down tasting, just like, well, Lipton Iced Tea. It makes a ton of sense why hard iced tea sales have skyrocketed 130% to $150 million in the past year.

Fun reads of the week

One of my favorite beers has always been Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. While the brewery has ventured well beyond its flagship in recent years, I was relieved to see leadership has put a focus on the Pale Ale again for 2025. (Gear Patrol)

I am a huge fan of the beer writer Joshua Bernstein, and I like to think I can call him a friend. If he says no, that’s OK, but you should still read his story in the Wall Street Journal on Pilsners. He mentions a few of my faves, including Firestone Walker’s Pivo Pils and Pfriem Pilsner.

Ernest Hemingway’s weird status as Idaho’s first travel influencer. (Inside Hook.)

A tour of American Regional Cocktails from Punch. Lots of fun ones on here, including Michigan’s Hummer, which my dad used to order sometimes.

My brother and I went to see Alien: Romulus this week… so it was fun to see Angel City Brewery make a beer in honor of the movie — with a pretty wicked backstory. (Inside Hook)