Balsamic vinegar an expensive taste

Max Jacobson

Wednesday, July 24, 2002 | 8:26 a.m.

Rich, earthy, exotic, and at times unbelievably expensive, balsamic vinegar has dribbled its way permanently into the American gastronomic scene.

We know that the true stuff, a dark, syrupy liquid that some people do not even identify as a vinegar, comes from Italy's Emilia-Romagna province, usually from the city of Modena, or sometimes from Reggio-Emilia. We also know that it has been around for at least 400 years, according to historical record. A 100-milliliter (a little over three ounce) bottle rated as age 75 years, can sell for close to $200 in this country, making it more expensive than most any wine.

So just what is this magic elixir, how is it used, and where is it available here? Basically, balsamic vinegar is made from freshly crushed grapes, the variety called Trebbiano. It's actually made from the must, a term used by wine makers to indicate an intermediate stage of pressing, a mash of grape juice, stems, seeds and skin.

The process is fascinating. First the must is reduced through cooking, but not allowed to ferment. Then it is aged in a series of wooden casks. As the liquid is lost over the years, the batches are transferred to progressively smaller casks, each of which come from a different wood, to give the vinegar complexity.

The woods are mulberry, ash, cherry, chestnut and oak. Over time, the vinegar thickens and acquires the different flavors of the woods. The longer it is aged, the better, and more expensive, it becomes. Siena Italian Deli sells one version, a 100-milliliter bottle from Modena rated at 75 years, for $159.

Now there is one more technicality. In order to be a true aceto balsamico (Italian for balsamic vinegar), it must be rated and tasted by professional tasters. There are many cheap pretenders on the market, by the way, which are basically wine vinegars colored and sweetened with caramel color and other flavorings. Comparing these to the expensive vinegars would be like comparing Boone's Farm wine to Chateau Petrus.

These aged vinegars last for years. A few drops can penetrate a dish, and uses include sprinkling some on fine beef, on Parmesan cheese, on fresh berries, on vanilla ice cream and on salads. The choice is yours.

A good balsamic is heavily reduced and concentrated, ambrosial. Balsamic vinegar should always be stored in a glass container, and the better ones will always come in one.

There are basically three categories of balsamic vinegar on the market. One is the cheap pretender, some of which taste fine, but which are definitely not in any way, shape or form, real balsamic vinegars. Then there is the middle class, from Modena, made in the traditional way, but not aged as long. One such product is made by Fini, a large and reliable producer.

These are the principal ones that will be discussed below. Finally there is the top of the line, the long-aged balsamics. No one is going to open a vial for tasting, but these vinegars are magical, thick, syrupy and incredibly intense. Here are a few places to buy these vinegars, and a few tasting notes on them as well.

Sur La Table (Desert Passage at Aladdin):

This elegant kitchen and gourmet store has an in-house expert on balsamic vinegar, Steve Koch, who has actually traveled to Italy in order to study his subject. Koch recommends tilting the bottle, to make sure that the vinegar inside coats the glass. If it doesn't, he does not recommend buying it. The store sells a wide variety of vinegars, and is generous enough to allow sampling.

Gaeta. $9.95. 250-milliliter. (8.8 fluid ounces). Jug with handle shaped bottle. A dark, pungent vinegar with the taste of cherries and vintage port.

Melina. $12.95. 250-milliliter. A Chianti-shaped bottle. The sharpest, most pungent and least balsamic of the vinegars tasted, with a long finish.

Elsa. $13.95. 250-milliliter. An apothecary jar-shaped bottle. Sweeter than the Gaeta with a less pronounced nose.

Acetum. $14.95. 250-milliliter. A cognac flask-shaped bottle. Smooth, floral and with the distinct flavor of grapes. This label also makes longer aged, far more expensive vinegars.

Villa Manodoro. $39.95. 250-milliliter. A long, narrow-necked bottle. Thicker, sweeter, and more concentrated than the others, with the taste of figs and chocolate. Well worth the extra money.

Williams-Sonoma (Fashion Show mall and Peccole Ranch):

The Fashion Show store has an olive oil and vinegar tasting bar, but the number of balsamic vinegars available for tasting is generally limited to three or four. There's also a wide variety of fruit-flavored balsamic vinegars such as a raspberry balsamic where the primary ingredient is raspberry puree. These are not discussed here. Neither are the top-of-the-line vinegars that are locked up in a cabinet, which sell for between $100 and $159.

Fini. $10.50. 250-milliliter. Octagonal-shaped bottle in frosted glass. This is a good product for the money, a light, slightly fermented tasting brew with a tart caramel and berry flavor.

Fini Gold Label $39. 250-milliliter. Octagonal bottle. A superb vinegar, thick, sweet and rich. A few drops'll do ya.

Siena Deli (2250 E. Tropicana Ave.):

This wonderful Italian deli keeps its expensive vinegars in a locked glass case adjacent to the cash register. One they sell, the Duke of Modena Reserve, is $19.95. After that the price jumps. The store sells 100 -milliliter bottles of the vinegar made by the company De Nigris. Rated 25 Year is $54.99, 50 Year is $119.99, and 75 Year is $179.99.

Village Meat and Wine (5025 S. Eastern Ave.):

Finally, at the lower end, this always reliable gourmet food store sells a couple of low-priced imitators that taste fine in a pinch. One is made by Alessi, a 250-milliliter bottle of a vinegar aged in wood for four years, $3.19. The other is a Minnesota product, Lehman Farms, at $3.89.