{"title":"Balsamic Vinegars","description":"\u003cp\u003eOur exclusive Balsamic vinegar range is made \u003cspan\u003ein the time-honoured way by the fourth generation of a family of small-scale producers. \u003c\/span\u003eGiovanni Leonardi, of Acetaia Leonardi fame, is proud to be an ambassador for these superb, artisan-crafted products. “Nowadays, everything is so flat, so many industrially produced products are the same. I try to make a difference,” he says “That’s why I get such satisfaction from guarding and carrying on this ancient tradition. I’m thrilled to be a depository of these recipes that have been handed down my family for at least 150 years.”\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"tchin-tchin","title":"'Tchin-Tchin' vinegar","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis balsamic-style vinegar is highly concentrated with a beautiful caramel brown colour, honeyed flavour and delicious aroma of quinces and grapes. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff0000;\"\u003eGreat Taste 2018 1-star award winner\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDomaine Claire Mayol 2016 grenache gris wine was used to make this superb vinegar. The wine is first reduced by boiling in cauldrons before being placed in barrels where acetification can take place. It then undergoes a double fermentation (both alcoholic and acetic) which takes between 18 and 24 months. Once the vinegar reaches 5° acidity, it is then aged in glass demijohns for a further 3 months before bottling in small bottles. This concentrated nectar-like vinegar has a lovely caramel colour, sweet ambrosia-like flavour and intense nose of fresh grapes and quinces. Perfect for drizzling over a pear, walnut and cheese salad or try adding a few drops to a warm bean or courgette salad. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails\u003c\/strong\u003e 100ml; 5° acidity, no sulfites.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout La Guinelle\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eWe are proud to be the sole UK distributor for La Guinelle vinegars. These amazing vinegars are now made by Chandra Brune in her charming open air vinaigrerie In Cosprons, a hillside village near Port-Vendres, overlooking the rocky Cote Vermeille coast close to Spain. The original founder, Nathalie Lefort bought the small house at the end of a dusty lane in 1999 and soon after decided to revive the lost art of making artisan vinegar outdoors. Her philosophy was simple - \" You need good wine to make great vinegar and you let nature do the rest.\" She uses the famous fortified red Banyuls dessert wine from local vineyards for her core vinegars, plus she also makes some limited production single grape varietal vinegars. Everything is done outdoors \"en plein air\", using an organic double fermentation process where the wines and vinegars are exposed to natural airborne bacteria in oak barrels for up to 8 months before further ageing in glass demijohns that are shaded from the sun. Discovered by top French chefs, we hope they will also find a spot in your kitchen as a great ingredient to add to favourite recipes, enhance many sauces, gravies and as a finishing ingredient used in the same way as a good quality extra virgin olive oil drizzled onto a dish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery year, Chandra and her team only make about 10,000 bottles including some really interesting, and unique, single varietal and 'flavoured' vinegars which we will always endeavour to buy and stock before they run out.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"La Guinelle","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":35752937281,"sku":"VSBAN08","price":30.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/products\/TCHIN_TCHIN_OPEN.jpg?v=1578766835"},{"product_id":"don-giovanni-traditional-balsamic-vinegar-of-modena-dop-25-years","title":"Don Giovanni Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP (25 years)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell:\u003c\/strong\u003e Superior-quality, authentic balsamic vinegar, made in the time-honoured way by the fourth generation of a family of small-scale producers. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a market saturated in sub-standard imitations, this is the real deal – a properly authentic balsamic vinegar, crafted over 25 years by a fourth-generation artisan in his family farmhouse, deep in northern Italy’s grape country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt every stage of the production process, Giovanni Leonardi cleaves to the old ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, the grapes are only picked by hand, during September and October, to ensure only the best bunches at the peak of their ripeness are selected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’re then gently squeezed, so that the bitter-tasting polyphenols from the skins, stalks and pips don’t influence the final product.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin 24 hours, the juice is cooked in an open-air copper cauldron for at least a day and a half, until it has lost around 70% of its original volume, then laid to rest until January, when it is introduced into the battery system that gives balsamic vinegar its unique flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, arranged in decreasing size from 180 down to 10 litres. Each is made of a different wood, including oak, ash, juniper, cherry, mulberry, acacia and chestnut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe barrels are left open to allow the natural concentration of the liquid through evaporation. Over the next 25 years, the liquid is moved along the line, from one barrel to the next.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it is ready, the vinegar is sent to the Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena, where it is bottled and sealed with the wax stamp that is the guarantor of its authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe finished article is a thick, viscous and glossy balsamic, with a rounded, velvety texture and a complex flavour, influenced by all the different woods it has been aged in.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause of all this painstaking attention to detail and scrupulous adherence to time-honoured methods of production, Giovanni’s vinegar earns the title Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale DOP – the EU-verified indicator of highest quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor many in the know, Don Giovanni balsamics are among the best in Modena being produced by this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eultra-traditional \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eproducer. And now, as their\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e sole importers into the UK, we are proud to share them with you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow to use:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs a condiment, drizzled over roast beef or lamb or grilled fish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith extra virgin olive oil as a pre-dinner dip for crusty bread.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn a marinade. Try it with steak or chicken destined for the griddle pan or barbecue.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith dessert. Its perfect balance of sweetness and acidity means a little drizzle will work wonders over strawberries or a bowl of vanilla ice cream.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSipped sparingly as an after-dinner digestif.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails: \u003c\/strong\u003e40ml bottle. Also available in an Affinato (12 years) variety.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee the other products in the Don Giovanni range: Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP; Balsamidea Balsamic Condiment; Saba Balsamic Condiment; White Balsamic Condiment; and 12-Year-Aged Cherry Balsamic Condiment, \u003cspan\u003ea 2-star winner at the 2019 Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Acetaia Leonardi:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eDuring spring and summer, the Leonardi farmhouse is a tiny island of terracotta among a sea of lush green. Whichever way you look, rows and rows of grapevines stretch off towards the horizon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are the white Trebbiano and red Lambrusco grapes that are the only varieties permitted in making balsamic vinegar, which is produced in small quantities, upstairs in the farmhouse’s attic acetaia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s an ancient recipe that has been handed down from father to son for at least four generations,” says Giovanni Leonardi. At its heart is the balsamic battery – an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, made from a range of different woods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Each wood has its own purpose,” says Giovanni. “Oak gives notes of vanilla. Cherry adds a fruity taste. Juniper bestows spicy notes. Acacia brings honeyed flavours. And chestnut gives it the distinctive rich, dark brown colour.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cooked grape juice can spend decades in this battery of barrels and it is Giovanni’s responsibility to judge just the right time to move his precious product from one barrel to the next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My role as an assaggiatore, or taster, means I have to be constantly studying, observing and tasting our balsamic vinegar in all the different stages of its production,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it’s ready, some of Giovanni’s vinegar is sent to the Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena, the guardians of traditional, artisan-made balsamic vinegar, where it is bottled and stamped with a seal of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni also bottles some of it himself, which he sells under his Balsamidea brand – passing on some of the savings accrued from not sending it to the Consorzio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also produces a white balsamic condiment – great in salad dressings – and truly unique products, such as his cherry balsamic, which spends 12 years in only cherrywood. \u003cspan\u003eThis rich, aromatic vinegar was rightfully awarded \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e stars in the 2019 Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen there’s his IGP-accredited Aceto Balsamico, in which he judiciously blends a proportion of his cooked grape must with red and white wine vinegars, mostly made using grapes grown on the farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s a zero-kilometre, closed-loop production,” Giovanni says. “Everything is done here, from growing and harvesting the grapes, right up to the final ageing and bottling.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni is proud to be an ambassador for such time-honoured, artisan-crafted products. “Nowadays, everything is so flat, so many industrially produced products are the same. I try to make a difference,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s why I get such satisfaction from guarding and carrying on this ancient tradition. I’m thrilled to be a depository of these recipes that have been handed down my family for at least 150 years.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Acetaia Leonardi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":30272478642219,"sku":"DGV0135","price":100.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/products\/Don_Giovanni_Aceto_Balsamico_Tradizionale_DOP_25_Years_OPEN_1_copy.jpg?v=1570299661"},{"product_id":"don-giovanni-traditional-balsamic-vinegar-of-modena-dop-12-years","title":"Don Giovanni Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP (12 years)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell:\u003c\/strong\u003e Superior-quality, authentic balsamic vinegar, made in the time-honoured way by the fourth generation of a family of small-scale producers. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a market saturated in sub-standard imitations, this is the real deal – a properly authentic balsamic vinegar, crafted over 12 years by a fourth-generation artisan in his family farmhouse, deep in northern Italy’s grape country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt every stage of the production process, Giovanni Leonardi cleaves to the old ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, the grapes are only picked by hand, during September and October, to ensure only the best bunches at the peak of their ripeness are selected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’re then gently squeezed, so that the bitter-tasting polyphenols from the skins, stalks and pips don’t influence the final product.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin 24 hours, the juice is cooked in an open-air copper cauldron for at least a day and a half, until it has lost around 70% of its original volume, then laid to rest until January, when it is introduced into the battery system that gives balsamic vinegar its unique flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, arranged in decreasing size from 180 down to 10 litres. Each is made of a different wood, including oak, ash, juniper, cherry, mulberry, acacia and chestnut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe barrels are left open to allow the natural concentration of the liquid through evaporation. Over the next 12 years, the liquid is moved along the line, from one barrel to the next.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it is ready, the vinegar is sent to the Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena, where it is bottled and sealed with the wax stamp that is the guarantor of its authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe finished article is a thick, viscous and glossy balsamic, with a rounded, velvety texture and a complex flavour, influenced by all the different woods it has been aged in.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause of all this painstaking attention to detail and scrupulous adherence to time-honoured methods of production, Giovanni’s vinegar earns the title Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale DOP – the EU-verified indicator of highest quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor many in the know, Don Giovanni balsamics are among the best in Modena being produced by this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eultra-traditional \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eproducer. And now, as their\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e sole importers into the UK, we are proud to share them with you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow to use:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs a condiment, drizzled over roast beef or lamb or grilled fish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith extra virgin olive oil as a pre-dinner dip for crusty bread.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn a marinade. Try it with steak or chicken destined for the griddle pan or barbecue.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith dessert. Its perfect balance of sweetness and acidity means a little drizzle will work wonders over strawberries or a bowl of vanilla ice cream.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSipped sparingly as an after-dinner digestif.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails: \u003c\/strong\u003e40ml bottle. Also available in an Extravecchio (25 years) variety.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee the other products in the Don Giovanni range: Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP; Balsamidea Balsamic Condiment; Saba Balsamic Condiment; White Balsamic Condiment; and 12-Year-Aged Cherry Balsamic Condiment, a 2-star winner at the Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eAbout Acetaia Leonardi:\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring spring and summer, the Leonardi farmhouse is a tiny island of terracotta among a sea of lush green. Whichever way you look, rows and rows of grapevines stretch off towards the horizon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are the white Trebbiano and red Lambrusco grapes that are the only varieties permitted in making balsamic vinegar, which is produced in small quantities, upstairs in the farmhouse’s attic acetaia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s an ancient recipe that has been handed down from father to son for at least four generations,” says Giovanni Leonardi. At its heart is the balsamic battery – an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, made from a range of different woods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Each wood has its own purpose,” says Giovanni. “Oak gives notes of vanilla. Cherry adds a fruity taste. Juniper bestows spicy notes. Acacia brings honeyed flavours. And chestnut gives it the distinctive rich, dark brown colour.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cooked grape juice can spend decades in this battery of barrels and it is Giovanni’s responsibility to judge just the right time to move his precious product from one barrel to the next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My role as an assaggiatore, or taster, means I have to be constantly studying, observing and tasting our balsamic vinegar in all the different stages of its production,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it’s ready, some of Giovanni’s vinegar is sent to the Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena, the guardians of traditional, artisan-made balsamic vinegar, where it is bottled and stamped with a seal of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni also bottles some of it himself, which he sells under his Balsamidea brand – passing on some of the savings accrued from not sending it to the Consorzio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also produces a white balsamic condiment – great in salad dressings – and truly unique products, such as his cherry balsamic, which spends 12 years in only cherrywood. \u003cspan\u003eThis rich, aromatic vinegar was rightfully awarded \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e stars in the 2019 Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen there’s his IGP-accredited Aceto Balsamico, in which he judiciously blends a proportion of his cooked grape must with red and white wine vinegars, mostly made using grapes grown on the farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s a zero-kilometre, closed-loop production,” Giovanni says. “Everything is done here, from growing and harvesting the grapes, right up to the final ageing and bottling.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni is proud to be an ambassador for such time-honoured, artisan-crafted products. “Nowadays, everything is so flat, so many industrially produced products are the same. I try to make a difference,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s why I get such satisfaction from guarding and carrying on this ancient tradition. I’m thrilled to be a depository of these recipes that have been handed down my family for at least 150 years.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Acetaia Leonardi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":30272492601387,"sku":"DGV0130","price":75.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/products\/Don_Giovanni_Aceto_Balsamico_Tradizionale_DOP_Afinato_12Years_OPEN_1_copy.jpg?v=1570299656"},{"product_id":"dion-giovanni-balsamidea-condimento-gentile-6-years","title":"Don Giovanni Balsamidea Condimento 'Gentile' (6 years)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell:\u003c\/strong\u003e Superior-quality balsamic vinegar, made in the time-honoured way by the fourth generation of a family of small-scale producers. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a market saturated in sub-standard imitations, this is the real deal – a properly made balsamic vinegar, crafted over six years by a fourth-generation artisan in his family farmhouse, deep in northern Italy’s grape country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt every stage of the production process, Giovanni Leonardi cleaves to the old ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, the grapes are only picked by hand, during September and October, to ensure only the best bunches at the peak of their ripeness are selected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’re then gently squeezed, so that the bitter-tasting polyphenols from the skins, stalks and pips don’t influence the final product.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin 24 hours, the juice is cooked in an open-air copper cauldron for at least a day and a half, until it has lost around 70% of its original volume, then laid to rest until January, when it is introduced into the battery system that gives balsamic vinegar its unique flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, arranged in decreasing size and made of different woods, including oak, ash, juniper, cherry and chestnut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe barrels are left open to allow the natural concentration of the liquid through evaporation. Over the next six years, the liquid is moved along the line, from one barrel to the next.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe finished article is a thick, viscous and glossy balsamic, with a rounded, velvety texture and a complex flavour, influenced by all the different woods it has been aged in.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor many in the know, Don Giovanni balsamics are among the best in Modena being produced by this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eultra-traditional \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eproducer. And now, as their\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e sole importers into the UK, we are proud to share them with you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow to use:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs a condiment, drizzled over roast beef or lamb or grilled fish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith extra virgin olive oil as a pre-dinner dip for crusty bread.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn a marinade. Try it with steak or chicken destined for the griddle pan or barbecue.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith dessert. Its perfect balance of sweetness and acidity means a little drizzle will work wonders over strawberries or a bowl of vanilla ice cream.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSipped sparingly as an after-dinner digestif.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails: \u003c\/strong\u003e100ml bottle. Also available in Nobile (12 years), Riserva (15 years) and Eccelenza (30 years) varieties.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee the other products in the Don Giovanni range: Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP; Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP; Saba Balsamic Condiment; White Balsamic Condiment; and 12-Year-Aged Cherry Balsamic Condiment, \u003cspan\u003ea 2-star winner at the 2019 Great Taste Awards\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Acetaia Leonardi:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring spring and summer, the Leonardi farmhouse is a tiny island of terracotta among a sea of lush green. Whichever way you look, rows and rows of grapevines stretch off towards the horizon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are the white Trebbiano and red Lambrusco grapes that are the only varieties permitted in making balsamic vinegar, which is produced in small quantities, upstairs in the farmhouse’s attic acetaia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s an ancient recipe that has been handed down from father to son for at least four generations,” says Giovanni Leonardi. At its heart is the balsamic battery – an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, made from a range of different woods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Each wood has its own purpose,” says Giovanni. “Oak gives notes of vanilla. Cherry adds a fruity taste. Juniper bestows spicy notes. Acacia brings honeyed flavours. And chestnut gives it the distinctive rich, dark brown colour.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cooked grape juice can spend decades in this battery of barrels and it is Giovanni’s responsibility to judge just the right time to move his precious product from one barrel to the next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My role as an assaggiatore, or taster, means I have to be constantly studying, observing and tasting our balsamic vinegar in all the different stages of its production,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it’s ready, some of Giovanni’s vinegar is sent to the Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena, the guardians of traditional, artisan-made balsamic vinegar, where it is bottled and stamped with a seal of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni also bottles some of it himself, which he sells under his Balsamidea brand – passing on some of the savings accrued from not sending it to the Consorzio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also produces a white balsamic condiment – great in salad dressings – and truly unique products, such as his cherry balsamic, which spends 12 years in only cherrywood. This rich, aromatic vinegar was rightfully awarded 2 stars in the 2019 Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen there’s his IGP-accredited Aceto Balsamico, in which he judiciously blends a proportion of his cooked grape must with red and white wine vinegars, mostly made using grapes grown on the farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s a zero-kilometre, closed-loop production,” Giovanni says. “Everything is done here, from growing and harvesting the grapes, right up to the final ageing and bottling.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni is proud to be an ambassador for such time-honoured, artisan-crafted products. “Nowadays, everything is so flat, so many industrially produced products are the same. I try to make a difference,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s why I get such satisfaction from guarding and carrying on this ancient tradition. I’m thrilled to be a depository of these recipes that have been handed down my family for at least 150 years.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Acetaia Leonardi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":30272500301867,"sku":"DGV0210","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/products\/Don_Giovanni_Balsamidea_Condimento_GENTILE_6_YEAR_OPEN_copy.jpg?v=1570299648"},{"product_id":"don-giovanni-balsamidea-condimento-riserva-15-years","title":"Don Giovanni Balsamidea Condimento 'Riserva' (15 years)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell:\u003c\/strong\u003e Superior-quality balsamic vinegar, made in the time-honoured way by the fourth generation of a family of small-scale producers. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a market saturated in sub-standard imitations, this is the real deal – a properly made balsamic vinegar, crafted over 15 years by a fourth-generation artisan in his family farmhouse, deep in northern Italy’s grape country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt every stage of the production process, Giovanni Leonardi cleaves to the old ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, the grapes are only picked by hand, during September and October, to ensure only the best bunches at the peak of their ripeness are selected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’re then gently squeezed, so that the bitter-tasting polyphenols from the skins, stalks and pips don’t influence the final product.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin 24 hours, the juice is cooked in an open-air copper cauldron for at least a day and a half, until it has lost around 70% of its original volume, then laid to rest until January, when it is introduced into the battery system that gives balsamic vinegar its unique flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, arranged in decreasing size and made of different woods, including oak, ash, juniper, cherry, mulberry, acacia and chestnut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe barrels are left open to allow the natural concentration of the liquid through evaporation. Over the next 15 years, the liquid is moved along the line, from one barrel to the next.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe finished article is a thick, viscous and glossy balsamic, with a rounded, velvety texture and a complex flavour, influenced by all the different woods it has been aged in.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor many in the know, Don Giovanni balsamics are among the best in Modena being produced by this ultra-traditional producer. And now, as their sole importers into the UK, we are proud to share them with you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow to use:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs a condiment, drizzled over roast beef or lamb or grilled fish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith extra virgin olive oil as a pre-dinner dip for crusty bread.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn a marinade. Try it with steak or chicken destined for the griddle pan or barbecue.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith dessert. Its perfect balance of sweetness and acidity means a little drizzle will work wonders over strawberries or a bowl of vanilla ice cream.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSipped sparingly as an after-dinner digestif.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails: \u003c\/strong\u003e40ml bottle. Also available in Gentile (6 years), Nobile (12 years) and Eccelenza (30 years) varieties.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee the other products in the Don Giovanni range: Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP; Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP; Saba Balsamic Condiment; White Balsamic Condiment; and 12-Year-Aged Cherry Balsamic Condiment, \u003cspan\u003ea 2-star winner at the 2019 Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Acetaia Leonardi:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring spring and summer, the Leonardi farmhouse is a tiny island of terracotta among a sea of lush green. Whichever way you look, rows and rows of grapevines stretch off towards the horizon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are the white Trebbiano and red Lambrusco grapes that are the only varieties permitted in making balsamic vinegar, which is produced in small quantities, upstairs in the farmhouse’s attic acetaia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s an ancient recipe that has been handed down from father to son for at least four generations,” says Giovanni Leonardi. At its heart is the balsamic battery – an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, made from a range of different woods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Each wood has its own purpose,” says Giovanni. “Oak gives notes of vanilla. Cherry adds a fruity taste. Juniper bestows spicy notes. Acacia brings honeyed flavours. And chestnut gives it the distinctive rich, dark brown colour.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cooked grape juice can spend decades in this battery of barrels and it is Giovanni’s responsibility to judge just the right time to move his precious product from one barrel to the next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My role as an assaggiatore, or taster, means I have to be constantly studying, observing and tasting our balsamic vinegar in all the different stages of its production,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it’s ready, some of Giovanni’s vinegar is sent to the Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena, the guardians of traditional, artisan-made balsamic vinegar, where it is bottled and stamped with a seal of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni also bottles some of it himself, which he sells under his Balsamidea brand – passing on some of the savings accrued from not sending it to the Consorzio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also produces a white balsamic condiment – great in salad dressings – and truly unique products, such as his cherry balsamic, which spends 12 years in only cherrywood. \u003cspan\u003eThis rich, aromatic vinegar was rightfully awarded \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e stars in the 2019 Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen there’s his IGP-accredited Aceto Balsamico, in which he judiciously blends a proportion of his cooked grape must with red and white wine vinegars, mostly made using grapes grown on the farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s a zero-kilometre, closed-loop production,” Giovanni says. “Everything is done here, from growing and harvesting the grapes, right up to the final ageing and bottling.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni is proud to be an ambassador for such time-honoured, artisan-crafted products. “Nowadays, everything is so flat, so many industrially produced products are the same. I try to make a difference,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s why I get such satisfaction from guarding and carrying on this ancient tradition. I’m thrilled to be a depository of these recipes that have been handed down my family for at least 150 years.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Acetaia Leonardi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":30272505249835,"sku":"DGV0220","price":38.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/products\/Don_Giovanni_Balsamidae_Condimento_Serie_15_YEARS_OPEN_copy.jpg?v=1570299653"},{"product_id":"don-giovanni-aceto-balsamico-igp-6-years","title":"Don Giovanni Aceto Balsamico IGP (6 years)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell:\u003c\/strong\u003e A complex, intensely flavoured balsamic vinegar, expertly blended by one of Modena's master craftsmen and matured for six years. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni Leonardi is the fourth generation to produce top-quality balsamic vinegar at the family farmhouse in northern Italy’s wine country. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt each stage of production, he cleaves to the old ways. First, the grapes are only picked by hand, during September and October, to ensure only the best bunches at the peak of their ripeness are selected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’re then gently squeezed, so that the bitter-tasting polyphenols from the skins, stalks and pips don’t influence the final product.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin 24 hours, the juice is cooked in an open-air copper cauldron for at least a day and a half, until it has lost around 70% of its original volume.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom here, Giovanni’s expertise as an \u003cem\u003eassaggiatore\u003c\/em\u003e(taster) really comes into its own. This cooked grape must is blended with red and white wine vinegars – most of which are also made in his farmhouse acetaia, using grapes grown on the farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a balsamic vinegar to achieve its IGP accreditation, at least 20% of the product has to come from the cooked grape must, as opposed to the added wine vinegars. Giovanni never uses less than 35% in his and has even included up to 75%.\u003cspan\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The must is the richest part of the grape, so we use more of it to increase the quality of our product,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom here, the liquid is introduced into the balsamic battery, an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, arranged in decreasing size and made of different woods, including oak, ash, juniper, cherry and chestnut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe barrels are left open to allow the natural concentration of the liquid through evaporation. Over the next six years, the liquid is moved along the line, from one barrel to the next.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe finished article is a thick, viscous and glossy balsamic, with a rounded, velvety texture and a complex flavour, influenced by all the different woods it has been aged in.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor many in the know, Don Giovanni balsamics are among the best in Modena being produced by this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eultra-traditional \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eproducer. And now, as their\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e sole importers into the UK, we are proud to share them with you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow to use:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs a condiment, drizzled over roast beef or lamb or grilled fish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith extra virgin olive oil as a pre-dinner dip for crusty bread.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn a marinade. Try it with steak or chicken destined for the griddle pan or barbecue.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith dessert. Its perfect balance of sweetness and acidity means a little drizzle will work wonders over strawberries or a bowl of vanilla ice cream.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSipped sparingly as an after-dinner digestif.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails: \u003c\/strong\u003e250ml bottle. Also available in 6- and 15-year varieties. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee the other products in the Don Giovanni range: Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP; Balsamidea Balsamic Condiment; Saba Balsamic Condiment; White Balsamic Condiment; and 12-Year-Aged Cherry Balsamic Condiment, a 2-star winner at the Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Acetaia Leonardi:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring spring and summer, the Leonardi farmhouse is a tiny island of terracotta among a sea of lush green. Whichever way you look, rows and rows of grapevines stretch off towards the horizon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are the white Trebbiano and red Lambrusco grapes that are the only varieties permitted in making balsamic vinegar, which is produced in small quantities, upstairs in the farmhouse’s attic acetaia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s an ancient recipe that has been handed down from father to son for at least four generations,” says Giovanni Leonardi. At its heart is the balsamic battery – an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, made from a range of different woods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Each wood has its own purpose,” says Giovanni. “Oak gives notes of vanilla. Cherry adds a fruity taste. Juniper bestows spicy notes. Acacia brings honeyed flavours. And chestnut gives it the distinctive rich, dark brown colour.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cooked grape juice can spend decades in this battery of barrels and it is Giovanni’s responsibility to judge just the right time to move his precious product from one barrel to the next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My role as an assaggiatore, or taster, means I have to be constantly studying, observing and tasting our balsamic vinegar in all the different stages of its production,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it’s ready, some of Giovanni’s vinegar is sent to the Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena, the guardians of traditional, artisan-made balsamic vinegar, where it is bottled and stamped with a seal of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni also bottles some of it himself, which he sells under his Balsamidea brand – passing on some of the savings accrued from not sending it to the Consorzio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also produces a white balsamic condiment – great in salad dressings – and truly unique products, such as his cherry balsamic, which spends 12 years in only cherrywood. This rich, aromatic vinegar was rightfully awarded 2 stars in the 2019 Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen there’s his IGP-accredited Aceto Balsamico, in which he judiciously blends a proportion of his cooked grape must with red and white wine vinegars, mostly made using grapes grown on the farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s a zero-kilometre, closed-loop production,” Giovanni says. “Everything is done here, from growing and harvesting the grapes, right up to the final ageing and bottling.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni is proud to be an ambassador for such time-honoured, artisan-crafted products. “Nowadays, everything is so flat, so many industrially produced products are the same. I try to make a difference,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s why I get such satisfaction from guarding and carrying on this ancient tradition. I’m thrilled to be a depository of these recipes that have been handed down my family for at least 150 years.” \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Acetaia Leonardi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":30272522780715,"sku":"DGV4805","price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/products\/Don_Giovanni_Aceto_BAlsamico_IGP_RED_BOX_BOTTLE.jpg?v=1570299646"},{"product_id":"don-giovanni-aceto-balsamico-igp-15-years","title":"Don Giovanni Aceto Balsamico IGP (15 years)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell:\u003c\/strong\u003e A complex, intensely flavoured balsamic vinegar, expertly blended by one of Modena's master craftsmen and matured for 15 years. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni Leonardi is the fourth generation to produce top-quality balsamic vinegar at the family farmhouse in northern Italy’s wine country. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt each stage of production, he cleaves to the old ways. First, the grapes are only picked by hand, during September and October, to ensure only the best bunches at the peak of their ripeness are selected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’re then gently squeezed, so that the bitter-tasting polyphenols from the skins, stalks and pips don’t influence the final product.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin 24 hours, the juice is cooked in an open-air copper cauldron for at least a day and a half, until it has lost around 70% of its original volume.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom here, Giovanni’s expertise as an \u003cem\u003eassaggiatore\u003c\/em\u003e(taster) really comes into its own. This cooked grape must is blended with red and white wine vinegars – most of which are also made in his farmhouse acetaia, using grapes grown on the farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a balsamic vinegar to achieve its IGP accreditation, at least 20% of the product has to come from the cooked grape must, as opposed to the added wine vinegars. Giovanni never uses less than 35% in his and has even included up to 75%.\u003cspan\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The must is the richest part of the grape, so we use more of it to increase the quality of our product,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom here, the liquid is introduced into the balsamic battery, an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, arranged in decreasing size and made of different woods, including oak, ash, juniper, cherry and chestnut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe barrels are left open to allow the natural concentration of the liquid through evaporation. Over the next 15 years, the liquid is moved along the line, from one barrel to the next.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe finished article is a thick, viscous and glossy balsamic, with a rounded, velvety texture and a complex flavour, influenced by all the different woods it has been aged in.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor many in the know, Don Giovanni balsamics are among the best in Modena being produced by this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eultra-traditional \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eproducer. And now, as their\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e sole importers into the UK, we are proud to share them with you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow to use:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs a condiment, drizzled over roast beef or lamb or grilled fish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith extra virgin olive oil as a pre-dinner dip for crusty bread.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn a marinade. Try it with steak or chicken destined for the griddle pan or barbecue.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith dessert. Its perfect balance of sweetness and acidity means a little drizzle will work wonders over strawberries or a bowl of vanilla ice cream.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSipped sparingly as an after-dinner digestif.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails: \u003c\/strong\u003e250ml bottle. Also available in 6- and 10-year varieties. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee the other products in the Don Giovanni range: Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP; Balsamidea Balsamic Condiment; Saba Balsamic Condiment; White Balsamic Condiment; and 12-Year-Aged Cherry Balsamic Condiment, a 2-star winner at the Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Acetaia Leonardi:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eDuring spring and summer, the Leonardi farmhouse is a tiny island of terracotta among a sea of lush green. Whichever way you look, rows and rows of grapevines stretch off towards the horizon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are the white Trebbiano and red Lambrusco grapes that are the only varieties permitted in making balsamic vinegar, which is produced in small quantities, upstairs in the farmhouse’s attic acetaia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s an ancient recipe that has been handed down from father to son for at least four generations,” says Giovanni Leonardi. At its heart is the balsamic battery – an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, made from a range of different woods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Each wood has its own purpose,” says Giovanni. “Oak gives notes of vanilla. Cherry adds a fruity taste. Juniper bestows spicy notes. Acacia brings honeyed flavours. And chestnut gives it the distinctive rich, dark brown colour.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cooked grape juice can spend decades in this battery of barrels and it is Giovanni’s responsibility to judge just the right time to move his precious product from one barrel to the next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My role as an assaggiatore, or taster, means I have to be constantly studying, observing and tasting our balsamic vinegar in all the different stages of its production,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it’s ready, some of Giovanni’s vinegar is sent to the Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena, the guardians of traditional, artisan-made balsamic vinegar, where it is bottled and stamped with a seal of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni also bottles some of it himself, which he sells under his Balsamidea brand – passing on some of the savings accrued from not sending it to the Consorzio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also produces a white balsamic condiment – great in salad dressings – and truly unique products, such as his cherry balsamic, which spends 12 years in only cherrywood. This rich, aromatic vinegar was rightfully awarded 2 stars in the 2019 Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen there’s his IGP-accredited Aceto Balsamico, in which he judiciously blends a proportion of his cooked grape must with red and white wine vinegars, mostly made using grapes grown on the farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s a zero-kilometre, closed-loop production,” Giovanni says. “Everything is done here, from growing and harvesting the grapes, right up to the final ageing and bottling.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni is proud to be an ambassador for such time-honoured, artisan-crafted products. “Nowadays, everything is so flat, so many industrially produced products are the same. I try to make a difference,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s why I get such satisfaction from guarding and carrying on this ancient tradition. I’m thrilled to be a depository of these recipes that have been handed down my family for at least 150 years.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Acetaia Leonardi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":30272524189739,"sku":"DGV4812","price":40.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/products\/Don_Giovanni_Aceto_Balsamico_IGP_BLACK_BOX_BOTTLE.jpg?v=1570299644"},{"product_id":"don-giovanni-saba","title":"Don Giovanni Saba","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cooked grape must, the raw ingredient of balsamic vinegar, artfully aged for four years by one of Modena's master craftsman. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSaba is an age-old condiment, which can trace its lineage all the way back to the Ancient Romans.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt its simplest, it's a syrup made with cooked grape must, which looks like balsamic vinegar and taste a lot like it, too – though it isn't aged in barrels of different woods, the way that balsamic is.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni Leonardi is flying the flag for this traditional product today, using grapes grown on his own farm, near Modena. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe grows white Trebbiano and red Lambrusco grapes – the only varieties permitted in proper balsamic vinegar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are picked by hand, during September and October, to ensure only the best bunches at the peak of their ripeness are selected. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’re then gently squeezed, so that the bitter-tasting polyphenols from the skins, stalks and pips don’t influence the final product.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin 24 hours, the juice is cooked in an open-air copper cauldron for at least a day and a half, until it has lost around 70% of its original volume.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of this cooked grape must makes its way into the battery of barrels used to make balsamic vinegar. Meanwhile, some of it is drawn off to become saba.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni ages this draught for four years, to produce a rich, complex condiment whose a fruity character reveals hints of sweet plums and raisins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is the perfect modern example of an ancient product, finely crafted by an artisan at the top of his game. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow to use:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs a condiment, drizzled over roast beef or lamb or grilled fish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith extra virgin olive oil as a pre-dinner dip for crusty bread.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn a marinade. Try it with steak or chicken destined for the griddle pan or barbecue.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith dessert. Its perfect balance of sweetness and acidity means a little drizzle will work wonders over strawberries or a bowl of vanilla ice cream.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails: \u003c\/strong\u003eAvailable in 250ml bottles. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee the other products in the Don Giovanni range: Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP; Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP; Balsamidea Balsamic Condiment; and White Balsamic Condiment; and 12-Year-Aged Cherry Balsamic Condiment, a 2-star winner at the 2019 Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Acetaia Leonardi:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring spring and summer, the Leonardi farmhouse is a tiny island of terracotta among a sea of lush green. Whichever way you look, rows and rows of grapevines stretch off towards the horizon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are the white Trebbiano and red Lambrusco grapes that are the only varieties permitted in making balsamic vinegar, which is produced in small quantities, upstairs in the farmhouse’s attic acetaia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s an ancient recipe that has been handed down from father to son for at least four generations,” says Giovanni Leonardi. At its heart is the balsamic battery – an array of barrels in the farmhouse’s attic, made from a range of different woods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Each wood has its own purpose,” says Giovanni. “Oak gives notes of vanilla. Cherry adds a fruity taste. Juniper bestows spicy notes. Acacia brings honeyed flavours. And chestnut gives it the distinctive rich, dark brown colour.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cooked grape juice can spend decades in this battery of barrels and it is Giovanni’s responsibility to judge just the right time to move his precious product from one barrel to the next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My role as an assaggiatore, or taster, means I have to be constantly studying, observing and tasting our balsamic vinegar in all the different stages of its production,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it’s ready, some of Giovanni’s vinegar is sent to the Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena, the guardians of traditional, artisan-made balsamic vinegar, where it is bottled and stamped with a seal of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni also bottles some of it himself, which he sells under his Balsamidea brand – passing on some of the savings accrued from not sending it to the Consorzio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also produces a white balsamic condiment – great in salad dressings – and truly unique products, such as his cherry balsamic, which spends 12 years in only cherrywood. This rich, aromatic vinegar was rightfully awarded 2 stars in the 2019 Great Taste Awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen there’s his IGP-accredited Aceto Balsamico, in which he judiciously blends a proportion of his cooked grape must with red and white wine vinegars, mostly made using grapes grown on the farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s a zero-kilometre, closed-loop production,” Giovanni says. “Everything is done here, from growing and harvesting the grapes, right up to the final ageing and bottling.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni is proud to be an ambassador for such time-honoured, artisan-crafted products. “Nowadays, everything is so flat, so many industrially produced products are the same. I try to make a difference,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s why I get such satisfaction from guarding and carrying on this ancient tradition. I’m thrilled to be a depository of these recipes that have been handed down my family for at least 150 years.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Acetaia Leonardi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":30884434247723,"sku":"DGV0514","price":22.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/products\/Don_Giovanni_SABA_OPEN.jpg?v=1573993400"},{"product_id":"navarino-icons-white-balsamic","title":"Greek White Balsamic Vinegar","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00afff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell: \u003c\/strong\u003eAn intense Greek artisan vinegar made from sun-dried raisins from Corinth famed since Homeric times for their honeyed sweetness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGreat Taste 2019 1-star award winner\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eMade directly from sun-dried Corinthian raisins that have been cultivated in Messinia since Homeric times. known for their intense aroma, the concentrated, cooked down grape must from the raisins is full of natural sweetness. This delicious vinegar has a bright golden amber colour and it combines the rich flavour of balsamic-style vinegars with the subtle and fruity taste of white vinegar. Ideal drizzled on fresh salads and added to sauces or used as the main component in marinades.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eHow to use:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eSurprisingly good with BBQ'd prawns and squid.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eUse when making Greek-style pork and vegetable stews.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003ePerfect in all kinds of salad dressings and marinade mixes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eDetails: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e250ml\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eAbout Navarino Icons\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eNavarino Icons aims to acquaint people with the Messinia region’s rich living history, through authentic products created in limited quantities by small-scale local producers who adhere to strict quality control guidelines in every step of the production process. The range draws on the age-long traditions of Messinia in the Peloponnese region of Greece, long known for its gastronomic traditions and excellent artisan products. They promote this undiscovered yet accessible part of Greece while protecting and preserving its natural beauty and heritage.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Navarino Icons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31056677699627,"sku":"VSNAV08","price":17.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/products\/Navarino_Icons_White_BAlsamic_GREAT_TASTE_copy.jpg?v=1587840936"},{"product_id":"pear-balsamic-vinegar","title":"Pear Balsamic Vinegar","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis beautiful Aged pear Balsamic Vinegar can be drizzled over desserts and  fruit salads for added intensity or drink a nip as a digestif.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis delicate and perfumed vinegar is barrel-aged for 8 years before bottling. Perfect for all types of salads and fruit dishes. Great with cheese and when added to poached fruits or added to cocktails.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eAbout G\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eölles\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eFor three generations the Gölles family has farmed their orchards in the sunny, hilly countryside around the Rieger castle in Styria, Austria. Since the early eighties, they have specialised in the making of fine vinegars and brandies. Particular attention is paid to the varieties of fruit, the harvest, processing and ageing of these fine products.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e250ml bottle\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Golles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40950585327659,"sku":"GOLLES2680","price":28.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/files\/GOLLESPEARBALSAMIC1.jpg?v=1700135518"},{"product_id":"pear-balsamic-vinegar-copy","title":"Apple Balsamic Vinegar","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis beautiful Aged Pear Balsamic Vinegar can be drizzled over desserts and  fruit salads for added intensity or use in all kind of pork dishes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis delicate and perfumed vinegar is \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003es barrel-aged for 8 years before bottling. Perfect for all types of salads and fruit dishes. Great with pork dishes, cheese and when added to poached fruits or added to cocktails.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eAbout G\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eölles\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eFor three generations the Gölles family has farmed their orchards in the sunny, hilly countryside around the Rieger castle in Styria, Austria. Since the early eighties, they have specialised in the making of fine vinegars and brandies. Particular attention is paid to the varieties of fruit, the harvest, processing and ageing of these fine products.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e250ml bottle\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Golles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54962330698103,"sku":"GOLLES2560","price":28.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/files\/GOLLESAPPLEBALSAMIC1.jpg?v=1739549754"},{"product_id":"balsamic-wine-vinegar","title":"Balsamic Wine Vinegar","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis beautiful Aged  Balsamic Vinegar can be drizzled over desserts and  fruit salads for added intensity or drink a nip as a digestif.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis superb vinegar is barrel-aged for 8 years before bottling. Perfect for all types of salads and fruit dishes. Great with cheese and when added to poached fruits or added to cocktails.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eAbout G\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eölles\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eFor three generations the Gölles family has farmed their orchards in the sunny, hilly countryside around the Rieger castle in Styria, Austria. Since the early eighties, they have specialised in the making of fine vinegars and brandies. Particular attention is paid to the varieties of fruit, the harvest, processing and ageing of these fine products.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e250ml bottle\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Golles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54962539397495,"sku":"GOLLES2610","price":28.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/files\/GOLLESBALSAMICWINE.jpg?v=1739553475"},{"product_id":"tba-wine-balsamic-vinegar-in-cherry-barrel","title":"TBA Wine Balsamic Vinegar in Cherry Barrel","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis rare Trockeneerenauslese (TBA) Wine Balsamic vinegar is aged for 20 years in cherry barrels which gives outstanding depth of flavour as it concentrates into a thick and syrupy Balsamic vinegar. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe sweetest grapes of the Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) quality are turned into this precious balsamic vinegar concentrated over 20 years in cherry barrels. Pour over berry fruits, mature cheese and vanilla ice cream.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eSuppled with a glass pipette and a porcelain spoon to help pour the correct dosage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eAbout G\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eölles\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eFor three generations the Gölles family has farmed their orchards in the sunny, hilly countryside around the Rieger castle in Styria, Austria. Since the early eighties, they have specialised in the making of fine vinegars and brandies. Particular attention is paid to the varieties of fruit, the harvest, processing and ageing of these fine products.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e100ml bottle; 6% acidity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vinegar Shed","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54962562138487,"sku":"GOLLES2615","price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/files\/GOLLESTBACHERRY.jpg?v=1739553763"},{"product_id":"tba-wine-balsamic-vinegar-in-chestnut-barrel","title":"TBA Wine Balsamic Vinegar in Chestnut Barrel","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a nutshell: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis rare Trockeneerenauslese (TBA) Wine Balsamic vinegar is aged for 20 years in chestnut barrels which gives outstanding depth of flavour as it concentrates into a thick and syrupy Balsamic vinegar. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe sweetest grapes of the Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) quality are turned into this precious balsamic vinegar concentrated over 20 years in chestnut barrels. Pour over berry fruits, mature cheese and vanilla ice cream.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eSuppled with a glass pipette and a porcelain spoon to help pour the correct dosage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eAbout G\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eölles\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eFor three generations the Gölles family has farmed their orchards in the sunny, hilly countryside around the Rieger castle in Styria, Austria. Since the early eighties, they have specialised in the making of fine vinegars and brandies. Particular attention is paid to the varieties of fruit, the harvest, processing and ageing of these fine products.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e100ml bottle; 6% acidity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vinegar Shed","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54962593825143,"sku":"GOLLES2617","price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/files\/GOLLESTBACHESTNUT.jpg?v=1739556484"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1623\/0125\/collections\/Don_Giovanni_Balsamidae_Condimento_All_Bottles_copy.jpg?v=1570218119","url":"https:\/\/www.vinegarshed.com\/collections\/balsamic-vinegars\/balsamico-condimento.oembed","provider":"Vinegar Shed","version":"1.0","type":"link"}