Defrutum Balsamic Vinegar IGP 4 yr Aged – 2 Crowns

Defrutum 4-year aged balsamic vinegar IGP is a sweet, sharp vinegar that’s a great choice for everyday use.

Defrutum balsamic vinegar is made from the cooked grape must of Lambrusco grapes and a little wine vinegar. The grape must gives the balsamic its signature sweetness, while the wine vinegar adds sharpness and acidity.

This 4-year aged balsamic vinegar is an ideal choice for salad dressings, with its long-lasting acidity and clean mouth-feel. Mix 2 parts of extra virgin olive oil with 1 part balsamic vinegar, for a dressing that will liven up leafy green salads, tomato salads and green vegetables.

Defrutum 4-year aged balsamic vinegar has been awarded IGP, or Indicazione Geografica Protetta, status. This shows that it is one of the protected classifications of balsamic vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. The production process is rigorously monitored – and unlike ‘balsamic condiment’ or cheaper ‘balsamic vinegars’ – which usually have no ageing, true Balsamic Vinegar of Modena must be aged for a minimum of 60 days in wood.

In fact, this balsamic vinegar is aged for 4 years in barrels of different woods – oak, cherry, chestnut, juniper and ash. This is according to a centuries-old balsamic-making tradition, and plays a large part in giving the vinegar its complex layers of flavour.

Officinae Defrutum balsamic vinegars and condiments are made on a family-run farm in Modena, in the heart of the Emilia-Romagna region. They are made only with Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes that are grown in the farm’s surrounding vineyards, so the entire production is closed cycle. Emilia-Romagna’s climate of extremes – very hot summers and freezing winters – provides the best conditions for fermenting and maturing balsamic vinegar. The production and ageing methods have been passed down through four generations of balsamic vinegar makers.

Ingredients: wine vinegar, cooked grape must. Contains sulphites.