Balsamic Vinegar Tasting Tour from Parma

Discover the secrets of "black gold", one of the symbols of Made in Italy in the world. This small-group tour will take you behind the scenes at a traditional acetaia in Parma.

The tour will end with a taste of balsamic vinegar and Parmigiano Reggiano with a Lambrusco glass of wine. The visit begins outside the building where the work done on freshly picked grapes and must is explained. The tour then continues in the cellars and floors where there are barrels made of many different kinds of wood that give the balsamic vinegar aroma and flavor, where it will be possible to taste different types of vinegar of different ages, from 20 to 100 years. The gastronomic tour ends with a tasting of balsamic vinegar and Parmigiano Reggiano accompanied by Lambrusco di Modena.

Have you ever tasted the original balsamic vinegar produced in Emilia Romagna? This tour leads you inside a traditional acetaia to get in touch with the "black gold".

Why aged balsamic vinegar is called black gold?
It’s not a secret. A little bottle with a few centiliters of aged balsamic vinegar can cost more than a piece of gold. The reason why Aceto balsamico is so expensive relies on its production process. Vinegar masters in Modena and Reggio Emilia know that hurry is not allowed. Lambrusco red wine or Trebbiano white wine musts are the only necessary ingredients. Then time is mandatory to make the black gold.

Modena balsamic vinegar tour from Parma
Being in the middle of the Emilia Romagna region, the city of Parma is the ideal starting point for many food tours. Prosciutto and Parmigiano Reggiano tasting tours are amongst the most wanted. But real gourmets are seeking something that goes behind luxury food. That’s the reason why more and more food enthusiasts and gourmets are joining this tour. Starting from Parma, the driver will take you to a traditional acetaia. The first thing you will know about this factory is how well-organized is the storage process. It takes time for wine grapes to transform themselves. To become the aged balsamic sauce Italians call Aceto. Aged Aceto Balsamico di Modena (“invecchiato”) least maturing process is 3 years. Traditional Aceto Balsamico di Modena (“extravecchio”) needs at least 25 years of aging. That is why a little bottle of the most expensive balsamic vinegar can cost hundreds of dollars.

What will you get with the Balsamic Vinegar tour?
During the tour, an expert guide will explain to you how the world’s best vinegar is made. As for fine wine, the production begins in the vineyards where grapes are kissed by the Italian sun. Apart from time, the only ingredients allowed are cooked Lambrusco grapes must and Lambrusco wine vinegar. Acetification and fermentation phases are responsible for this magical transformation. A long process that transforms wine into a dark, smooth, and silky liquid. A single tiny drop of the best balsamic vinegar is like a calm explosion in your mouth. Something that can activate your deepest senses with the inestimable flavors the aging process creates.

The tour will end with a taste of balsamic vinegar and Parmigiano Reggiano with a Lambrusco glass of wine. It will be possible to taste different types of vinegar of different ages, from 20 to 100 years.