The New Standards for Balsamic!
Explanation of the
Balsamic Vinegar Grading System
3 Types of Balsamic Vinegar
• Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
• Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of EmiliaRomagna
• Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of
Modena:what is it?
• Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is a very special
vinegar, which has its roots in the ancient
Roman times.
• It is obtained from must (grape juice), instead
of wine.
• Concentrated must is produced by reducing grape
juice to get a very dense, syrupy liquid.
• Concentrated must is then placed in small barrels,
where it slowly ferments.
Balsamic Vinegar: a traditional system
• Barrels are kept in attics.
• Fermentation is slow in
winter (cold), fast in
summer (hot), and it
causes a natural
concentration of product
by evaporation.
• Every year, the contents
of each barrel is moved
into another smaller
barrel, made of a different
wood.
Balsamic Vinegar: a traditional system
• After a minimum of 12
YEARS in barrels, the result
is a very thick vinegar; rich
and complex from the aging
in different woods.
• The Consortium of traditional
balsamic producers control
the approval and bottling of
the traditional product (in the
unique 100ml bottle).
• This product is called by
Italian law,TRADITIONAL
Balsamic Vinegar.
Balsamic Vinegar:
development of a commercial product
Traditional Balsamic is :
• Thick and difficult to use.
• Expensive (about $100 - $125 for a 3.5 oz. bottle).
• Scarcely available (a battery of barrels makes 5liter/year).
Therefore local populations used to blend it with strong
wine vinegar.
A new product was started, it was called
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.
• Today, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is the product commonly
available on the markets of a very large number of countries.
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
“the commercial product”
What determines different quality levels?
»Quality of Ingredients
»Quantity of Ingredients
»Aging
Quality of Ingredients
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1) Grape Must
Concentrated : vacuum process, low temperature, low
caramelization, sweet and fruity taste.
Cooked: direct fire, high temperature, high caramelization,
complex flavor profile (same as used for Traditional balsamic).
Within the same category, there may be wide differences
in quality.
The degree of concentration is also important to determine the
quality of the final product.
Quality of Ingredients
Concentrated (left), Cooked (right), Blend (center)
Quality of Ingredients
2) Wine Vinegar
• The only ingredients in Balsamic Vinegar of Modena are grape
must and wine vinegar.
• Use of quality aged wine vinegar will help determine the quality
of the finished product.
Quantity of Ingredients
• Concentrated must, cooked must, or a blend of the two, is mixed
with Wine Vinegar to create a mass which is then fermented and
aged.
• The quality and the quantity of the grape must and the wine
vinegar used in the production are crucial to the quality of the
finished product.
• The level of quality and quantity of ingredients can be measured
by simple lab analysis: density, dried extracts, dried extracts
without sugars.
Aging
“It is considered a fundamental factor of quality in the
consumers’ mind”
This is only partially true!
In fact:
• It depends from the quality of product which is going to be aged
(a lean blend can even get worse if aged, developing molds and
poor aroma).
• Final quality is more directly affected by a high quality and richer
blend of ingredients, rather than a longer aging process.
• However, aging develops the typical woody and complex flavors,
which is reminiscent of the Traditional product.
• Usually blends are made with “fresh” and “aged” batches in order to
get specific qualities in the final product.
• Due to this process, and the lack of aging controls, exact aging
claims cannot be proven, and should not appear on labels.
Aging
Large barrels
Small barrels
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena:
a few recapping questions
• Which ingredients are employed?
Only concentrated must and wine vinegar are allowed.
• Is any other substance added?
Only caramel can be added, as a small percentage, for color
adjustment purposes.
• Are there differences in quality and prices among
different products?
Yes, there is a wide range of qualities and prices available
on market.
• Is pricing sufficient to differentiate a product’s quality level?
No, price is often varied in relation to brands or presentations,
and it is not sufficiently indicative of quality.
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
• A new system was needed in order to define Balsamic
Vinegar quality.
• AIB (Italian Balsamic Tasters) was founded in order to
establish this necessary system.
Producers adhering to AIB offer an answer to
Market’s needs!
AIB is an independent association of tasters who applied to the study of sensory
features to Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.
After a two-year study run by a certified independent Company, CSFA,
parameters describing quality of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena were
finally defined.
Parameters are both analytical and sensorial.
They are based on market research, consumers’ tests and expert
Tasters judgments.
AIB’s panel of expert tasters were able to define four different
quality categories….
1 LEAF
Basic Quality Category
Is determined by moderate density (very fluid, thin),
high acidity and high fruit, with a simple, clean aroma.
It is ideally used for salads and other food dishes
where vinegar has a prominent presence in the dish.
2 LEAVES
Second Quality Category
Slightly denser in consistency than a leaf 1. Acidity is
partially tempered by a higher value of dried extracts.
The fruitiness and vinegar characteristics are less
pronounced. This product is ideal for salad dressings,
marinades, barbecues, etc.
3 LEAVES
Third Quality Category
Product of superior quality, distinguished by a thicker viscosity,
sweetness tempered by spices and wood fragrances derived
from a more complex finishing in barrels and casks.
Modestly pungent with a pleasant, lingering aftertaste.
Besides use in dressing recipes, this Balsamic lends itself well as a condiment to cheese,
as a finishing touch to steamed and grilled vegetables, meats, etc.
4 LEAVES
Fourth Quality Category
Exceptionally thick and smooth. Has a high presence of wood and spices both in the
aroma and the taste.
Sweetest of all the levels with a lower presence of fruit and acidity. Only minimum
values are provided in the specific standards, but which can even be higher. Perfect for
any culinary application.
AIB
• Invites producers to get a product certification for the
analytical and sensory quality of their product on the
basis of the defined quality profiles. Participation is
not mandatory.
• Only Certified Producers can offer this quality grading
system on their products.
• A very unique symbol has been adopted to indicate the
quality on each bottle.
• The grading system symbol has been trademarked
by AIB.
The new ‘Grading System’
symbols…
…and how they appear on
labels.
The importance of the grading
system
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Offers consumers a clear indication of the quality.
Allows for better price/quality comparisons.
Helps determine use by quality level.
It is the first classification ever made for
Balsamic Vinegars.
• Assists buyers in their purchasing decisions.