At Acetaia del Cristo in Italy, 2,000 barrels are dedicated to aging 120,000 liters of balsamic vinegar. It is one of the only producers that follows the traditional method of making balsamic vinegar by handling the entire process from harvesting grapes to processing the juices to barrel aging.
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00:00 We have become one of the largest companies in the traditional field
00:05 because we have practically 2,000 barrels dedicated only to the production of traditional balsamic vinegar.
00:12 It is a family business.
00:14 My father and my current partner's grandfather, Daniele Bonfatti,
00:18 at the time, they measured their barrels of traditional balsamic vinegar together,
00:23 they also collected all those of their uncles, relatives, and they transformed this hobby, this family passion, into an activity.
00:33 We have remained one of the few companies that deals with the entire production cycle, from start to finish.
00:40 Today is the first day of harvest, 2023.
00:49 We use four types of grapes, two white and two black.
00:54 From the beginning of September to the end of October, we collect all our grapes.
00:59 We collect by machine because we want to collect the grapes at the right point of maturation, as much as possible.
01:07 And so, with a mechanical harvest, in one day we can collect the grapes at their best.
01:14 This small plot of land is 5 hectares.
01:19 We can collect a maximum of 160 hectare quintals.
01:24 Lately, we have been having a little trouble reaching the allowed quota.
01:29 Due to climate change, these winter months facilitate the proliferation of insects.
01:36 The harvest is complete, the load is complete.
01:39 Now we go home to harvest.
01:43 These are natural biological tannins that do nothing but stop the undesired fermentation process of the grape.
01:54 It is a kind of blessing.
01:58 My father bought this tractor when I was 5 years old.
02:04 It is still in perfect condition.
02:08 With its power socket, connected to the cardan, it rotates the unloading shell of the cart.
02:16 Then we will open the door.
02:18 The shell unloads the grapes in this pallet pump.
02:23 And this pump loads the grapes with a nozzle into the press through this tube.
02:29 Once the grapes are inserted, this balloon inflates and deflates, it rotates from one side to the other.
02:42 It reproduces what was the ancient footwear of women in the Navazza.
02:48 This allows you to squeeze only the mature juice of the grape.
02:53 The juice of the grape. This is called the "must".
02:57 The automatic press has finished the cycle.
03:00 And in the end, what remains in the basket are a few leaves, the skins and the grapes that remained here.
03:09 The unripe chichis are not crushed.
03:12 This product will go to the distillery to obtain the distilled wine, grape and alcohol.
03:20 The must that was harvested yesterday and in the past few days, rested at least one night in this coivented tank.
03:27 We brought it to a temperature close to zero to prevent it from fermenting during this resting period.
03:36 We will fill the boiler with 600 liters.
03:40 We have three boilers for a total of 1,800 liters.
03:45 I turn on the flame and wait for the must to come to a boil.
03:50 And like when the restaurant makes the broth, the convective movement of the heat brings all impurities to the boil.
03:59 Now we are going to remove the foam with the impurities trapped.
04:08 It is important to intercept the right time for the boil, when the foam hat is formed,
04:16 to prevent it from breaking and the impurities from returning to the bottom of the boiler.
04:22 The more the foam is cured, the fewer residues we will have on the final product.
04:31 Once the foam is made, it is important to lower the temperature.
04:38 The boiling is only needed to collect the foam hat.
04:43 These agitators will help us to keep the prolonged contact with the flame, which can become harmful.
04:54 The slow cooking will take 5-6 hours.
05:01 The slow cooking preserves the quality of the sugars.
05:03 It is the most delicate and distinctive phase of the production of traditional balsamic vinegar.
05:10 Last night we turned off the fire.
05:13 We can see that we started yesterday with 600 liters and this morning we are at 300.
05:21 So, half of the 300 liters has evaporated.
05:25 Now the monster is more colored, with a delicate caramelization.
05:33 The smoke is exceptional.
05:35 Very good.
05:41 Sweet, perfect.
05:43 After that, we transfer it to the fermentation containers.
05:48 Presumably, in a day or two, the alcohol fermentation will begin.
05:55 Balsamic vinegar is not a distillate that is closed, sealed in a jar, and then reopened after 25 years.
06:04 It is a product that lives.
06:06 Here in the old Acetaia, the very long aging period causes a strong evaporation, a strong loss of the product.
06:14 What a disaster.
06:16 During the hot season, the wood expands.
06:21 Then, when the colder season comes, it contracts.
06:26 Since the circles always remain in the same place, little cracks appear.
06:32 If you happen to enter an Acetaia that is completely clean, without traces of drops,
06:39 keep an eye on the barrels, because the only explanation could be the empty barrel.
06:45 The barrel is destined to lose a few drops in its life.
06:50 Then there are woods that lose more and woods that lose less.
06:54 And Rover is defined as the "Prince of Woods" also for this reason.
06:59 We have a single entry of the Acetified Monster in the largest barrel,
07:06 a single exit of the aged, mature product from the smallest barrel.
07:11 The movement of the vinegar from one barrel to another, which happens annually, is called the "travaso e rincalzo".
07:20 Balsamic vinegar is not made, it is grown as a child,
07:25 throwing the vinegar, then measuring it and deciding what to do to keep it on the straight path.
07:32 We see ruby reflections, intense loads.
07:37 The air that enters the barrels through the large opening is what allows the alcohol to oxidize and become vinegar.
07:48 The dark brown color given by oxidation.
07:53 Good acidity.
07:56 Let's taste it.
07:57 I can't wait.
07:58 To taste our vinegar to the best, using a porcelain spoon is always better.
08:05 For me, it's fabulous.
08:09 Let me taste it.
08:11 The metal could fake the flavor with the acidity of the product.
08:17 Great.
08:19 Very good.
08:21 You made a nice baby.
08:23 Ok, let's not exaggerate.
08:28 So we can do some measurements.
08:32 67.1
08:34 The two main parameters of balsamic vinegar are its acidity and its sugar content.
08:42 Now we start the extraction, so we insert the tube inside the barrel.
08:49 We start extracting with the system of communicating vessels.
08:54 The acidity of the vinegar can be discussed by maldirective operations.
09:01 So the biggest problem is us, human beings, in the management of vinegar.
09:07 We put the vinegar that has passed all our quality checks in a container for the delivery to the consortium,
09:19 to go and meet the rest of the world.
09:22 Inside the bottle we will put the amount of vinegar we have taken.
09:29 We will also fill the annual evaporation.
09:32 What moves is roughly 10% of the content of the barrel.
09:37 In the shop you can find different types of products that are called balsamic vinegar.
09:47 In reality, there are only two products recognized by law.
09:52 They are the traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena DO and the balsamic vinegar of Modena IGP.
09:59 The substantial difference between these two products is in the raw materials.
10:05 Only grape molasses, cooked, fermented, acidified and aged for at least 12 or more than 25 years,
10:13 the extra old, for the traditional balsamic vinegar.
10:17 Unlike a mixture of concentrated wine vinegar and cooked molasses,
10:24 with the possible addition of caramel, and therefore stay in aging for at least 60 days.
10:31 Another important thing is that the traditional balsamic vinegar is found only in a 100 ml bottle with the characteristic design.
10:44 All 250 producers of traditional balsamic vinegar must refer to the consortium and the authorized bottling center.
10:55 A team of experts and certified tasters evaluates organoleptically the vinegar in its characteristics.
11:08 The first traditional balsamic vinegar was produced in 1987.
11:14 The first bottle, the 0001 seal, is on our label and in our museum.
11:20 The bottle arrives directly from the consortium in these conditions,
11:26 with a retro label where the production date and expiration date are placed.
11:33 The DOP seal closes and seals the bottle.
11:38 As you can see, there is a progressive number that identifies each bottle.
11:43 Then we can try to customize our bottle.
11:48 We do it with our label, which is applied by Nadia.
11:53 Nadia has been working with us for 30 years.
11:57 It takes a lot of passion and patience.
12:01 From 100 kg of grapes, after more than 25 years, we get 1.5 kg of traditional balsamic vinegar.
12:09 Our most classic uses are parmesan, meat, salads, ice cream, strawberries.
12:18 The combination of Parmesan and traditional balsamic vinegar is a classic,
12:27 a part of the DNA of the Modena citizen.
12:30 The secret of a good risotto is our ability to perceive its density.
12:38 We have to add the liquids slowly and continue to mix.
12:44 There is a dancing way of mixing this risotto.
12:50 Here, we could choose a aged wine, at least 12 years,
12:56 or a wine that is at least 25 years old, an extra old wine.
13:00 I like the extra old wine because it has a wonderful aroma of juniper,
13:08 which gives a pleasant and tasty taste.
13:14 I'm going to add a few drops.
13:18 Never too much, never too little.
13:23 So that every time I take a sip, I can feel the fantastic balance
13:30 between sweetness, umami and this extraordinary acidity,
13:36 with the aroma of this very light wine from Geneva.
13:40 Balsamic vinegar, for a Modena citizen, is like the blood that flows through your veins.
13:47 It is part of our life, of our history, our roots are absolutely linked to balsamic vinegar.
13:55 The grapes we harvest this year will be able to use a small part of the balsamic vinegar
14:00 in no less than 25 years.
14:03 Working together is a great headache.
14:06 We constantly face each other on the job, in front of 2,000 barrels,
14:12 120,000 liters of ageing wine.
14:16 What is the part of the process that you like the most?
14:19 The tasting.
14:22 [Music]
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