Episode #290: Modena’s Black Gold – The Art of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

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Summary

This episode takes you deep into one of Italy’s most treasured culinary traditions: traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena. Giulia Tamarri, a local from Emilia-Romagna and beloved Untold Italy guide, shares the history, centuries-old process, and family traditions that keep this luxurious condiment alive.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• True traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena is made only in the Modena area of Emilia-Romagna, with PDO/DOP protection. It is completely different from the supermarket bottles labeled “balsamic,” which are often cheap wine vinegar with added caramel or glazes, although you can still get decent quality – it is different from ‘traditional’
• The production process uses only cooked grape must. After the October grape harvest, the must is slowly cooked and transferred into a batteria of usually at least five barrels made of different woods like oak, chestnut, mulberry, juniper, and cherry. Each year, the liquid moves down from the largest to the smallest barrel, and only the tiniest barrel is tapped for bottling
• Aging defines the quality: traditional balsamic must age for a minimum of 12 years, with many reaching 25 years. Different woods and lengths of time give unique flavor profiles, producing a thick, glossy liquid with a perfect balance of sweet and sour
• Tradition and community play a huge role. Families often start a batteria at the birth of a child and historically it was part of a dowry. Annual fairs in Spilamberto celebrate the craft, while the Consorteria oversees quality control, protecting authenticity with rigorous testing and volunteer “tasters”
• Authenticity and use: true balsamic is bottled only in the distinct Giugiaro-designed glass bottle and marked PDO/DOP. It is used sparingly – just a few drops – to elevate dishes like tortellini alla panna, risotto, strawberries, omelettes, or even gelato. Visitors can explore acetaie (producers) for tastings and buy directly from family-run makers such as Sereni, Giusti, or Leonardi and even smaller producers if you can find them

Timeline Overview

• 06:40 Giulia, one of our Untold Italy tour guides, is a local expert who shares her deep knowledge of traditional balsamic vinegar and its cultural importance in Emilia Romagna
• 11:09 The same local grapes from the Modena terroir can be used to make either wine or balsamic vinegar
• 15:26 With Balsamic Vinegar, there is a huge difference in the flavors that emerge from balsamic aged for 12, 25, or even more years, as time transforms this prized condiment
• 17:19 The Traditional Balsamic Vinegar Consortium protects and regulates authentic production, ensuring only the finest vinegar earns the DOP label
• 34:55 Spilamberto, the heart of Balsamic vinegar. Travelers can tour artisan acetaie and experience the centuries-old craft firsthand

About our guest – Giulia Tamarri

Giulia Tamarri from Travel with Rezdora is a qualified Tour Manager, Food Guide, and Personal Itinerary Consultant, born and raised in Castelfranco, on the Via Emilia, halfway between Modena and Bologna.

After achieving her degree in Foreign Languages at the University of Bologna, she built an international career, living between Australia and New Zealand, working as an English teacher and events organizer before going on to work in London as a manager in the education industry.

After spending almost 10 years traveling and living abroad, she decided to move back to her region and chose the town of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, Spilamberto, as the place to call home. The same year, she got her qualification as Tour Manager and has since led more than 40 tours around Italy and Europe and during the pandemic, she got the opportunity to attend a year’s course to become an expert and promoter of food and wine of Emilia Romagna.

Giulia loves to help people discover her charming region with the same passion and dedication of a rezdora in the kitchen. Tortellini, tagliatelle, cappelletti… a rezdora is the artist of these hand-rolled works of art. From the Latin “regere“ (to direct), she is not only a good cook but the real manager of the family. Like a rezdora in the kitchen, Giulia follows the same values and practical approach to travel. After a long testing of the best “ingredients”, she owns her personal recipes for crafting unique and memorable experiences for her clients.

Follow Giulia here

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned

Places

• Modena – city in Emilia-Romagna region, home to Italian car manufacturers Lamborghini, Ferrari and Pagani
• Bologna – University city known for its porticoes and food culture
• Spilamberto – Giulia’s hometown, famed for Balsamico Tradizionale production and its museum
• Giusti – a traditional balsamic vinegar maker, making vinegar for 400 years
• Leonardi – another bigger name in traditional balsamic vinegar production
• Balsamic Museum – Museo del Balsamico Tradizionale, located in Spilamberto and located on the ground floor of Villa Fabriani

Food / Drink

• IGP Balsamico (Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP) – a type of balsamic vinegar from the Modena region of Italy that carries a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). This guarantees that the product originates from a specific geographical area and meets certain quality standards, even if not all production phases must occur in Modena
• DOP Certified Traditional Balsamic Vinegar(PDO) – vinegar made in a specific area to strict guidelines and has to age at least 12 years in wooden barrels to be classified in this way
• tortellini alla panna – tortellini with cream. A simple, but delicious dish from Emilia-Romagna

Words / Concepts

• Parmelier – the equivalent of a sommelier for tasting Parmeggiano Reggiano
• batteria – a set of barrels (usually 4-7) of decreasing size in which to put the different ages of balsamico
• Coterie of traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena – association based in Spilamberto, in being since 1966
• Acetaia – a producer of traditional balsamic vinegar
• Massimo Bottura – famous, ingenious chef with a three-Michelin-star restaurant based in Modena, Osteria Francescana
• Giorgetto Giugiaro – Italian car designer who also designed the balsamic bottles
• House of Este – the Este family were the Modenese equivalent of the De Medici
• Il Palio di Balsamico – the Palio of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

Related content on Untold Italy

Podcasts

• Ep 250 – On Tour with Untold Italy – Our Hosts’ Highlights Revealed
• Ep 241 – Parmigiano Reggiano – A Story of Precision and Passion
• Ep 152 – Dishes to try in Bologna and the Emilia region
• Ep 114 – Welcome to Emilia Romagna
• Ep 034 – Lifting the lid on Bologna’s Food Culture

Articles

• Emilia Romagna travel guide
• What to eat in Emilia. Romagna
• What to Eat in Bologna
• 3 day Bologna itinerary
• Where to stay in Bologna
• Best day trips from Bologna
• Best things to do in Parma
• Best things to do in Modena

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