Italy’s Oldest Vinegar Brand Gets a Long-Awaited Update

Did you know that one of the oldest vinegar brands is the one created by the Giusti family, whose members have been running a company since the seventeen century?

Nowadays, the Giuseppe Giusti Aceto balsamico is produced by the 17th generation of the Giusti family. Claudio and Francesca, together with Luciano, are continuing the project their ancestors started, giving the product a modern touch, and running a flexible and sustainable company.

The process of creating a balsamic vinegar, Aceto balsamico, is both intriguing and captivating.

The masters start by picking the grapes, a particular sort which is used to create Giuseppe Giusti Aceto balsamico. The first round of the vinegar can be made in October, right after grape harvesting. In that time, grapes are boiled, and the fluid is poured down into a barrel, where it should stay at least a year. Once the year passes, the liquid is placed into smaller barrels, and this process is repeated multiple times 一 until the vinegar ages just right and has a specific scent and taste.

Traditionally, vinegar is left to age up to 25 years, but the tasting usually begins after 10 years or so. The tasting process consists of expert taster coming to check the balsamic color and flavor.

The expert, then, scores the vinegar, based on the taste, color, and texture. The color should be deep 一 that is how experts now that the vinegar contains the taste of the barrel it came from. If the balsamic vinegar scored too low, it is put back in the barrel for at least another year. A year after, the process is repeated. The method can take as many years, as the expert says.

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