The History

Wine vinegar and cooked grape must - also called "saba" - have always been the condiments par excellence of Italian cuisine. The fermentation and ageing of these ingredients are the crucial elements in Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI, a characteristic product of the Modena and Reggio Emilia areas, which, with their favourably warm and humid summers paired with cold winters, typically grow Lambrusco, Trebbiano, and Ancellotta grapes.

Its origins are ancient: Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI was documented as a disinfecting "medication" for the digestive system as early as Julius Caesar's Gallic Invasions.

In the Middle Ages, in his "Vita Mathildis", the Abbot Donizone wrote of a "little cask of balsamic vinegar" given in 1046 by Matilde's father, the Marquis Boniface of Canossa to Emperor Henry II.

Then, a volume title "La Grassa" from the Ducal Court in 1556 included a scrupulous classification of the "types of Balsamic" and the many ways it could be used. The Court of Este was very familiar with the qualities of vinegar, selecting the very best production for high-ranking persons and important events.

Modena became the capital of the Duchy in 1598: documents dating to this period attest to the Ducal Court's clear interest in this product, given by noble families as a dowry to their daughters along with the best and most valuable linens.

But it was not until the late 1800s that Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI became the focus of the most important exhibitions, generating local and international interest.

The first company to request and obtain a Ministry license in 1912 to manufacture and sell Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI was Monari Federzoni: today, this leadership still attests to an ancient family tradition.

In 1989, the difference between Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena was codified on a legislative level: the second is the condiment that earned European PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) recognition in 2000. It is produced exclusively in the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia from the fermentation of strictly controlled cooked must aged in small hardwood casks for a minimum of 12 years. Its formula is made of high-quality raw materials, the synthesis of an exacting production process. This ancient formula is still today the flower in the cap of the Monari Federzoni line.