A decent balsamic vinegar is difficult to come by. Quality varies so much from one bottle to the next! On the upper end of the spectrum, you’ve got the luxurious DOP Traditional Balsamic vinegar. This viscous, precious elixir comes in a small bottle and is best used as a garnish. We wrote extensively about this vinegar here, if that’s what you’re after. On the other hand, if you’re looking for an everyday vinegar to use more liberally, you need a younger, less concentrated product.
IGP Balsamic Vinegar
Visit your grocery store and you’ll see plenty of options labeled “Balsamic Vinegar of Modena”. These vinegars feature the emblematic blue and yellow IGP (protected geographical indication) seal from the European Union. Although it must be produced in Modena or Reggio Emilia, the grapes can come from anywhere in the world. This vinegar contains a combination of cooked grape must, red wine vinegar, and up to 2% caramel. According to our friend and cookbook author Viola Buitoni:
“It is a simplified product answering market demand by trying to reproduce some of the prized traits of traditional DOP balsamic vinegars.”
We don’t import IGP balsamic vinegar simply because this product isn’t up to our rigorous standards. We work with small agricultural businesses, producing both traditional and innovative ingredients in a way that values the land, Italian heritage, and gastronomy. Consequently, IGP balsamic vinegar simply doesn’t fit the bill! Instead, we have something better: balsamic condiments.
Balsamic Condiments
Don’t let the name confuse you, what we’re talking about here is the balsamic vinegar used on family tables all across Emilia Romagna. This is the stuff balsamic makers keep in their home kitchens and use on a daily basis. Only recently have these balsamic vinegars become available to the wider public.
Basically, instead of aging grape must for a minimum of 12 years and getting it certified as DOP Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, balsamic makers bottle the liquid much sooner and sell it as a “balsamic condiment”. The result is a succulent, agrodolce delicacy that’s perfect to cook with. You can use it to deglaze a pan, to add a touch of complexity to soups, stews, and sauces, or of course to dress vegetables or fruit.
We import three of these balsamic vinegar condiments: Saba 3 and Saba 6 from La Ca Dal Non in Modena, as well as the balsamic condiment from San Giacomo in Reggio Emilia,
Saba 3: This is our go-to, everyday balsamic. Aged for 3 years in wooden barrels, it hits just the right notes of sweet and sour. We use it to deglaze this pan in this pasta with porcini mushrooms and sausage. It’s one of our favorite recipes!
Saba 6: As the name suggests, this balsamic ages for 6 years in wooden barrels. As a result, it’s thicker and sweeter than Saba 3. We use it to macerate Zibibbo raisins in this addictive Macedonia di frutta!
San Giacomo’s Balsamic Condiment: Vinegar-maker Andrea Benzzecchi uses a blend of Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes aged in wooden barrels for a few years. Try it in a strawberry-balsamic cocktail!