Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena is a condiment produced exclusively from cooked grape must within the municipalities of the province of Modena. Maturation requires at least 12 years in wooden vats of progressively different sizes, with no substances other than cooked must permitted at any stage. It is registered as a PDO under file number PDO-IT-1565.

About this designation

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena holds PDO status, registered on 20 April 2000 under file number PDO-IT-1565 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013343). The applicant group is the Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena. The geographical area is confined to the municipalities of the province of Modena, and ageing, aftercare, and bottling must all be carried out within that province. The sole permitted raw material is must from grapes grown in Modena province vineyards; blended musts and musts containing additives or other substances may not be used. The must is cooked at atmospheric pressure in open containers using a direct source of heat. After cooking, the must undergoes sugar and acetic fermentation in traditional vinegar production rooms using traditional methods that provide natural ventilation and a natural range of temperatures. Maturation lasts at least 12 years, during which the cooked must is decanted several times into numbered and marked vats of different sizes made of wood typical of the region, including oak, juniper, cherry, mulberry, and chestnut. Accelerated or artificial ageing techniques, including those based on induced changes in temperature, humidity, or ventilation, are prohibited. Before release for consumption, every batch must pass analytical and organoleptic tests. Each bottle carries a numbered non-reusable label applied so that the contents cannot be removed without tearing it, together with a numbered seal of guarantee. The inspection body named in the specification is Cermet (Certificazione e controllo della qualità) Soc. Cons. a r.l., based in S. Lazzaro di Savena, Bologna.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 20 April 2000 under file number PDO-IT-1565, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013343.
• The specification permits no raw material other than cooked grape must; blended musts and musts with additives are expressly prohibited.
• Maturation requires at least 12 years in wooden vats of different sizes, using woods including oak, juniper, cherry, mulberry, and chestnut.
• Every bottle must carry a numbered non-reusable label and a numbered seal of guarantee; bottling is confined to the province of Modena.

Tasting notes

Modenese traditional balsamic DOP — pure cooked grape must (Trebbiano, Lambrusco), aged minimum 12 years in successive smaller barrels of different woods. Dense syrupy mahogany-black liquid, intensely complex sweet-acid balance with woody-dried-fruit-caramel notes; "Affinato" 12+ years, "Extra Vecchio" 25+ years — among the world's most prized vinegars.

HoReCa use

Finishing only — applied in drops on aged Parmigiano cubes, on strawberries, or on vanilla gelato; served as a tasting component, often in a spoon at the end of a meal; not used for cooking.

Packaging

• sealed-glass-bottle-100ml-DOP-Affinato
• sealed-glass-bottle-100ml-DOP-ExtraVecchio
• 3-bottle-gift-set-100ml