Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP: The Drops on Our Gelato
Every one of our cooking classes in Como ends at the table with gelato and a few drops of balsamic vinegar. But not just any balsamic: the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP from Acetaia del Cristo. Here is why it is worth it.
It is not the supermarket bottle
What many people call “balsamic” is Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP: pleasant, but a different product. The Traditional DOP is the protected version, made the old way: a single ingredient, cooked grape must, and a great deal of patience.
One ingredient, at least twelve years
No caramel, no added wine vinegar. Just cooked grape must, from organically farmed vines, aged at least 12 years in a battery of casks of different woods, in the loft of the acetaia. Year after year it moves from one cask to the next, concentrates and gains character. The result is dense, sweet-and-sour, intense: one drop is enough.
Acetaia del Cristo
It is a family acetaia in Modena, run for three generations, with around 2,000 casks dedicated only to the Traditional DOP — one of the most important producers of this vinegar. Every step — from the vineyard to cooking the must and the delicate drawing and topping-up — is done by the family themselves, in full compliance with the DOP rules.
Their Traditional ages in casks of different woods (oak, cherry, juniper…) and each wood leaves its mark. For dessert we choose the one matured in cherry-wood casks: fruity, with a sweet note, perfect on ice cream, strawberries and fruit.
Why it belongs on gelato
The sweet-and-sour contrast with cold, sweet gelato is exactly what we want to finish a meal: a few drops, no more. And there is a thread we like: balsamic is born in Modena, in Emilia — the same land as the hand-rolled sfoglia we teach. The tradition behind our class and the dessert that closes it come from the same place.
Key takeaways
- Traditional DOP ≠ Balsamic IGP: the original, protected.
- One ingredient: cooked grape must, organic.
- At least 12 years in a battery of casks of different woods.
- Acetaia del Cristo, Modena: family, 3 generations, ~2,000 casks.
- The cherry-wood casks: perfect on gelato.
Taste it in class
We introduce it and let you taste it while the dough rests, in every masterclass: the Tagliatelle Masterclass – Fresh Tomato, the Tagliatelle Masterclass – Ragù Bolognese, the Ravioloni Verdi Masterclass – Ricotta and the Farfalle e Garganelli Masterclass – Ragù.
Book a cooking class in Como
Hand-rolled pasta, a spritz lesson and gelato with traditional balsamic vinegar — all in one session.
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