Dark Balsamic Vinegar is made with Trebbiano grapes and on occasion with some Lambrusco grape must. The balsamic undergoes cooking and caramelizing in a copper kettle over an open wood fire before being aged in the traditional Solera Method – Modena, Italy. The balsamic is placed in old wood barrels, similar to wine barrels, are made from different woods including oak, chestnut, acacia, cherry, mulberry, ash and juniper. These woods add character to the vinegar.
White Balsamic Vinegar is made by blending white grape must with 100% Italian barreled aged white wine vinegar, both from Albana, Trebbiano and Montuni grapes which grow exclusively in the region of Modena, Italy. The traditionally cooked grape must is then lightly filtered to remove any skins from the cooked must and is placed into new white oak barrels for aging. The white balsamic condiment is less complex and has not been caramelized over an open wood fire in copper kettles, as the dark condiment has been.