Your Salads Are Going To Be So Happy You Bought These Balsamic Vinegars

Balsamic, oh balsamic, how we swoon for thee. Sure, you could buy a premade balsamic vinaigrette, but there’s just something about whisking up your own — with the right olive oil, of course — that makes you feel like a veritable Julia Child.

Slightly sweeter than the regular variety, balsamic vinegar is a dark vinegar that has a robust flavor. It is either made using traditional methods with only pressed grape juice and aged for 12 to 25-plus years, or commercially with concentrated grape must mixed with wine vinegar and aged for 2 months to 3 years.

The Best Balsamic Vinegar

What to Consider

Regionality

When buying balsamic vinegar, our top tip is to look for products from Modena, a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. The IGP designation — which stands for “indicazione geografica protetta” or “protected geographical indication” — assures that the vinegar is made from specific grape varietals typical to the region and is processed in Modena.

Good to know: Balsamic vinegar with the IGP stamp has higher acidity, so if just reading that makes you pucker your lips, you might actually prefer balsamic-style vinegar that is produced outside the Modena region.

Age

When buying Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (that’s Italian for traditional Italian vinegar), you typically want to steer clear of products that have additives like coloring agents, caramel, and other icky ingredients. As a general rule of thumb, the older a balsamic vinegar has been aged, the better — and more expensive — it will be. For true balsamic vinegar, it should be aged for at least 12 years.

Price

Price is also worth considering, too. While a balsamic vinegar used almost daily in the kitchen probably shouldn’t break the bank (say, $10 a bottle or so), splurging on a balsamic vinegar that’s $30+ is great to break out for special occasions as a “finishing vinegar” to drizzle over cheese, crusty baguette, fresh figs, strawberries, and even a scoop (or three) of vanilla gelato. Yum!

Get acquainted with the best balsamic vinegar that will make you break out the “buon appetito” at your next meal!