Colavita 25-Star Gran Riserva Balsamic Vinegar Showcases Modena's Finest Commercial Production
Linden, N.J. - For almost two decades, Colavita Aged Balsamic Vinegar has introduced countless home chefs to the distinctive, fruity delights of its uniquely Italian tradition. Now Colavita USA is offering a superb, premium balsamic vinegar that is sure to inspire passionate bravos with taste and texture that will elevate vinegar to another realm entirely for many American food lovers. Recently decanted and bottled at its historic Villa Bellentani production facility in Italy's Modena province, this special vinegar is available for consumer purchase in individual bottles directly from Colavita.
Colavita "Gran Riserva" Balsamic Vinegar of Modena satisfies Italy's highest standards for commercial balsamic vinegar production. It carries the 25-star ranking signifying Villa Bellentani's highest-quality product-aged for many years in small casks made of fine antique woods. The aging in wood creates a dense, velvety syrup of deep amber color with complex flavor that can be enjoyed on simple foods like vanilla ice cream or fresh strawberries. Taken directly from a teaspoon, it imparts a medley of taste sensations that is bittersweet in reverse-first bathing the tongue with a delicate but assertive sweetness, then finishing with a robust burst of lingering tartness.
While balsamic vinegar has become a popular condiment on American home and restaurant dinner tables, the process that defines balsamic remains a mystery to many U.S. consumers. Processing of all balsamic vinegars begins with grapes that are crushed and cleaned of skins and stems. Slow heating reduces the volume by approximately 50-percent, creating a concentrated, very sweet product called "must." Commercial balsamic vinegar, as governed by Italian law, is made by mixing this grape "must" with red wine vinegar before racking it in a series of wooden barrels for aging until it has matured. The specific woods used in the barrels lend their flavors to the vinegars, and quality and price are largely determined by the proportion of "must" to wine vinegar in the mixture. (Under the same Italian standards, traditional balsamic vinegar is inoculated with older balsamic vinegar, instead of red wine vinegar, and is aged a minimum of 12 years. Available in extremely limited quantities for consumers, it is also priced much like a rare gem.)
Located in Carpi, in the heart of Modena, the Villa Bellentani plant produces Colavita's excellent "everyday" Aged Balsamic Vinegar, available in supermarkets throughout the U.S., as well as the Gran Riserva special offering. Made from Trebbiano grapes preferred for authentic balsamic flavor, both vinegars are natural partners with Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil for dressing salads and all types of vegetables. Colavita Aged Balsamic Vinegar can also be added to slow-cooked foods, such as meat or beans, and makes an ideal deglazing liquid for meat-based sauces.
