Organic balsamic vinegar from Modena . Legend has it that balsamic vinegar from Modena originated in about 1200 when a quantity of “saba” (a type of cooked wine must used in medieval Modena) fell by chance into a bottle of wine. As it fermented, the “saba” turned into a very aromatic vinegar with a particularly sweet taste, which was slightly acidic and dark brown in colour. Balsamic vinegar is obtained from the grape must of vines which have been cultivated in the area extending from the Secchia river to the lower Rhine. In order to obtain a high quality balsamic vinegar, the must has to be cooked over an open flame in an uncovered container and then subject to a process of sugar and vinegar fermentation without adding anything else.

In April 2000, the balsamic acid of Modena obtained the protective DOP status (denominazione di origine protetta) from the Council of European Ministers for Agriculture.