Why Your Balsamic Vinegar Is Likely Fake
7th May 2024
From a complement to fries to a hint of acid on upscale dishes, balsamic vinegar is one of the world’s most recognisable condiments. And yet, many have never tasted the real thing.
From an accompaniment to French fries at the local burger joint to hint of acid added to Michelin-starred dishes, balsamic vinegar is one of the most recognisable condiments on the global table. And yet, many have never tasted the real “black gold” of Modena, Italy. It takes 12 years to make the best, aceto balsamico tradizionale (traditional balsamic vinegar), and at least 25 to make the finest, extra Vecchio.
Because of traditional balsamic vinegar’s painstaking artisanal production process, supplies are limited, and it tends to be rather pricey. And so, as the global demand for it has risen since the early 1980s, a market for imitation balsamic vinegar and cheaper products has exploded. In one instance in March 2019, a dramatic Interpol operation in northern Italy seized 9,000 tonnes of crushed grapes intended to be made into fake balsamic vinegar.