Aceto balsamico tradizionale di Reggio Emilia

Appearance & taste

The vinegar is dark brown, clear and bright and has a distinctly fluid, syrupy consistency. Its aroma is penetrating, persistent and fragrant, with a pleasant acidity and a bouquet that depends on the woods of the barrels and the length of ageing: oak, chestnut, cherry, juniper, mulberry, ash and robinia. On the palate, sweetness and acidity are balanced, with noticeable acidity and spiciness. Total acidity is at least 5 g of acetic acid per 100 ml, and the density at 20 °C at least 1.200 g/ml.

A panel of official tasters assesses the vinegar for appearance, aroma and taste. Below 240 points the vinegar may not be bottled. Depending on the score, the bottle receives a red, silver or gold seal (“Bollino Aragosta”, “Argento” or “Oro”); the gold seal requires at least 300 points and 25 years of ripening and allows the term “extra vecchio”. Statements of vintage or age are prohibited, as are additions such as “extra”, “riserva” or “classico”.

It is bottled in transparent clear-glass bottles in the shape of an upside-down tulip holding 50, 100 or 250 ml. They are closed with a stopper and sealed with string and sealing wax, into which the mark “ABTRE — DOP” is pressed. There are also single portions of 5 to 10 ml in glass.

Production

The raw material is must from grapes of the province of Reggio Emilia, above all the varieties Lambrusco, Ancellotta, Trebbiano, Sauvignon, Sgavetta, Berzemino and Occhio di Gatta, as well as all other varieties registered there for PDO wines. At most 160 quintals of grapes may be harvested per hectare, and the must yield is at most 70 %. The must is cooked down over an open fire; afterwards its sugar content may be at most 40 °Brix.

The cooked must undergoes alcoholic fermentation and acetic oxidation in wooden barrels and ripens for at least twelve years, without the addition of other substances and without physical or chemical treatment. Accelerated or artificial ageing is prohibited, including through artificially altered temperature, humidity or ventilation of the rooms. The long process is overseen by “vinegar masters”, who have learned their skills in courses or from their elders in the family business. Grape and must production, cooking, production, ripening and bottling take place in the province.

Origin & history

The province of Reggio Emilia has a temperate continental climate with hot summers, cold winters and large temperature differences between the seasons and even within a single day; humidity also varies greatly. According to the specification, temperature and humidity govern the slow evaporation in the barrels and the ripening processes. Vinegar has been made in the area for centuries, and the traditional techniques are passed down from generation to generation.