Balsamic vinegar from Modena

Balsamic vinegar from Modena

The balsamic vinegar of Modena (A.B.T.M.)  it is considered the black gold of Modena, it is the result of a long process of maturation and aging unique of its kind.
The starting point is the cooked must of thresher grapes that is simmered to reduce its volume and increase its sugar content. At the end of this process the must is put to “work” in barrels of different sizes and woods, where it will remain for many years until it becomes “The Black Gold of Modena”

The basic production unit of balsamic vinegar is the “battery” of barrels. A battery is a series of barrels of decreasing capacity where in the largest (badessa) will be laid the new cooked must and in the others the product in the various years of aging so that the smaller will contain the most mature product.
The minimum number of barrels per battery is 5, how many are the different types of woods that vinegar must touch to be consider
ed excellent. The characteristic balsamic woods are oak, mulberry, chestnut, cherry, acacia and juniper. To have a good product The woods must be present all, because from each essence the vinegar draws a part of taste and scent.

Each year we proceed with the method of the backlifts to replenish the share of product lost by a barrel (for withdrawals, losses, natural evaporation), with the product of the barrel that immediately precedes it and so on until you get to the caretaker that will be raised with new cooked must.
Over the years, at least 13, the product will mature until it becomes traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena. In this case we will talk about A B T M refined (aged 13 years) or A B T M extraold (aged minimum 25 years).