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 Vecchia Æmilia's small annual production of aceto balsamico follows a centuries-old technique of the farms around the Italian city of Modena, center for producing the world's finest vinegar. No other vinegar is made or aged like balsamic, nor with such care: the result is a heady, profound condiment capable of transforming a wide variety of dishes with its complex, pungent flavor. Only 25 barrels of Vecchia Æmilia are made each year by the winemaking Medici family.
Carefully selected grapes (mostly trebbiano) from the vineyards of Emilia Romagna are the base of our balsamic vinegar. Roughly half of the juice, or must, is concentrated by heat, while the other part is fermented and then made into vinegar. The two portions are blended with the same skill as winemaking, achieving the acidity level and style unique to the producer. Balsamic vinegars, like wine, reveal their artisan individuality. The young vinegar now starts its slow, long maturation in small oak barrels which are topped up occasionally as the the vinegar is concentrated due to evaporation and oxidation. Vecchia Æmilia enjoys eight years of gentle development in wood.
Years of evaporation and slow oxidation in barrel create a dense brown-red liquid, at once mellow and intense. There's the heady, pungent fragrance, sweet smelling of grapes yet still powerful. It's rich on the palate, with bright acidity, but balanced by sweet flavors of grapes and wood. The complexity and harmony is like no other vinegar: distinctive, complex and full-bodied.
With its extensive range of flavors, Balsamic Vinegar from Modena quickly finds its way into a wide array of dishes. Beyond the exceptional salad vinaigrette it creates, balsamic is used for deglazing roasting pans, brightening raw and steamed vegetables, accenting grilled meats or giving deep flavors to marinades. One of the rarest pleasures in Italy is perfectly ripened strawberries dressed lightly with balsamic, a dusting of sugar and black pepper.
Balsamic Vinegar 250ml/ - $12 + shipping & handling
Casa Brina Olive Oil and Vecchia Æmilia Balsamic Vinegar are available year round.
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