Modena balsamic vinegar is such a kitchen staple today that it’s hard to imagine that it was almost unheard of outside Italy until relatively recently. It’s only been about 40 years that the term became widely recognized in the United States, let alone recognized enough to be as ubiquitous, as it now is on grocery store shelves.

There are, as is the case with many popular imported goods, copycat products that claim to be balsamic vinegar but are really cheap imitations. The real thing, certified by governing bodies in the only parts of the world where authentic balsamic vinegar comes from, comes with a higher price tag. It is also considerably different, and there are many ways to learn how to identify the real deal.

Introduction to balsamic vinegar

One of the byproducts of winemaking is grape must—the sticky mass of grape stems, seeds, and skins that’s left when the juice has been pressed out. Rather than consider the must garbage, some genius of culinary history decided to try making something with it. And, boy, did that experiment deliver.

The viscous black liquid we now know as balsamic vinegar starts with must from sweet local grapes, cooked down to concentrate the sugars. It is usually Trebbiano or Lambrusco grapes, or a combination of the two.

It’s then fermented and aged for at least 12, and sometimes as many as 25 or 50 years—yes, we said years—in casks made of different kinds of wood. The casks lay on their sides, and the hole through which vinegar is poured or removed is covered lightly by a cloth rather than sealed tightly.

This allows the vinegar to evaporate slowly over time, further enhancing the flavors.

The production process

When the vinegar in the smallest cask is taken out to be bottled, some of it remains in the cask. It is then topped up with vinegar from the next smallest cask, and so on until the largest cask is ready for the newly cooked grape must.

Lying next to one another in the aging room of an acetaia (vinegar maker), diminishing in size as the vinegar gets older, the casks look a bit like matryoshka dolls.

The longer balsamic vinegar ages, the more syrupy—and costly—it gets. Balsamic that has aged 25 years is doled out by the droplet, and always as a condiment—never as a cooking vinegar.

Even 12-year balsamic can be sweet, but 25-year balsamic can be almost chocolatey. It’s surprisingly divine on vanilla ice cream or fresh strawberries.

Identifying authentic balsamic vinegar

Only two cities can produce the balsamic vinegar that bears an official European Union “DOP” seal of protection: Modena and Reggio Emilia. Each has a consortia that regulates their city’s balsamic production. Without their approval, the final product won’t get the DOP seal.

Different colored labels and caps on the bottles identify the age of the vinegar.

In Modena, white caps indicate 12-year vinegar, and gold caps are for balsamic that has aged for 25 years or more. In Reggio Emilia, red labels mean the vinegar has aged 12 years, silver labels are for 18-year vinegar, and gold labels indicate vinegar that has aged for 25 years or more.

Now, you know that you have to pay attention to both the seals and color-coding. Moreover, both consortia have taken the extra step of mandating the shape of the bottles the vinegar goes in. Even if you can’t read Italian, you can tell with a glance whether a balsamic is authentic and worth its hefty price tag.

A third consortium regulates the production of a vinegar that is much more affordable. This is because it uses less grape must, and adds colorings and flavors to achieve something close to true balsamic.

It doesn’t require years of aging, nor does it need to be in wooden casks, making it an industrially produced rather than hand-crafted vinegar. It has a lower level of regional EU protection (IGP). This makes it a far more accessible option for most home cooks.

Look for the phrase, “Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena IGP,” since the bottles and labels can vary considerably.

Visiting an acetaia

Many acetaie welcome visitors, with opportunities to taste and purchase different vinegar products. Some even take guests into the loft spaces to see all the aging vinegar casks.

They tend to be cramped and humid spaces, with floors that are slightly sticky from all the evaporated vinegar. And, you will probably smell balsamic on your clothing for awhile after you leave. All of this makes the experience even more immersive and fascinating, provided you like the smell of balsamic vinegar.

The Modena consortium has a helpful map with information about visiting its 34 acetaie. You can learn a lot about balsamic vinegar by visiting their website.

The Reggio Emilia consortium’s website is also very helpful for learning more about their balsamic vinegar. Any acetaia on the list with a green “V” by their name welcomes visitors by appointment.