Well, now that it is clear to us what actually is recognized as balsamic vinegar, here are a few more questions that Claudio clarified for us:
D: Sometimes we see Balsamic Condiment on a label; what is the difference between a Balsamic Vinegar and a Balsamic Condiment?
C: Actually, there is no such thing as a Balsamic Condiment. Remember, the only recognized Balsamics are those we discussed before. Using the name ‘condiment’ is for marketing purposes because the producers are not allowed to label it as vinegar unless they follow the rules we talked about. Often the acidity level is lower than the required 6% for a balsamic.
D: How can a consumer know if they are buying a quality aged Balsamic Vinegar?
C: No one can tell you how aged a Balsamic Vinegar is. In fact it is prohibit by law. If it is from the consortium you will know it is high quality, if it is not, the consortium has created a classification with ‘leaves’ for other balsamics. It is rated from 1 to 4 leaves (4 is the maximum). So the more leaves the higher the quality; you can assume the higher the number of leaves the more aged, but no one can indicate it.
D: We see ‘white’ balsamic in the market, yet have heard that there is no such thing. What is it?
C: White balsamic is an unaccepted denomination that is supposed to be less and less on the market since the IGP will make more controls. Technically it is a condiment which is white as the must is “decolorated”, filtered. There is no connection to the fact that white grapes are used, in fact white grapes are the grapes for normal Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, they become black because the must is cooked and therefore becomes black. It is possible that a “white condiment” tastes like balsamic, but it is not recognized as balsamic and there are no rules to the making of or ingredients of the “white condiment”.
So there you have it. As you can see, balsamic vinegar is such an interesting subject and we could probably talk about it for weeks!
There are a few things I would like to add from my own experience with balsamic vinegar. First of all, because there is such a wide variety of qualities and flavors out there, the most important thing is that you enjoy the taste.
Remember that traditional balsamic vinegar is extremely expensive and used for special occasions, or for special uses, such as an aperitif, drizzled on fruit or on ice cream. There are no rules, but I wouldn’t recommend a traditional extra vecchio balsamic for salads!
Keep in mind that balsamic vinegar is made from grape must, so read the label. You can find anything from pure grape must, to white wine vinegar with caramel additives and just a small quantity of grape must. Be wary of super inexpensive “aged” balsamics, as we learned, there is no such thing, and you get what you pay for!
