Giusti Riccardo Balsamic

The Giusti family have been producing balsamic in the traditional way in Modena since 1605. They are the oldest and most awarded producer of balsamic and have an unrivalled collection of antique barrels still in use.

Giusti select good quality Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes and slowly reduce the grape juice in copper kettles until it is thick, dark and sweet. Unlike industrially produced balsamic vinegar, Giusti do not use pressurisation to speed up the reduction process. It is a labour of time and patience.

Giusti add only good quality wine vinegar to the cooked grape must, and then age it in traditional barrels of various woods - juniper, cherry, oak, ash, and mulberry. Each wood infuses the balsamic with its own unique flavour and aroma. Giusti have over 1000 barrels in use - 600 of which are over 200 years old. Many industrial producers have only a few barrels and large, stainless steel silos.

As the balsamic ages, it ferments, and the liquid evaporates. Each barrel is then topped up with balsamic from another barrel of different wood. Because each barrel contains a blend of vinegars from other barrels, it is impossible to determine the age of the balsamic in any one barrel.

For Giusti’s specially dispensed reserve balsamics, they are in a unique position where they can extract small quantities from their very old reserves. Here Giusti can be quite sure of the minimum age of the must as when these barrels are topped up, they are done so only with older vinegar, not young must. Due to the blending process, these reserves will also include must that is older than the specified age. Other producers do not have these ancient barrels and reserves. Gisuti are meticulous in their blending process and track everything; for them producing balsamic is a craft, not just a commercial enterprise.