Balsamic vinegar is a dark, concentrated, intensely flavored vinegar originating in Modena, Italy, made wholly or partially from grape must: freshly crushed grape juice with all the skins, seeds, and stems. True balsamic vinegar is made from a reduction of pressed Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes.

The resulting thick syrup is subsequently aged for a minimum of 12 years in a battery of several barrels of successively smaller sizes.

The casks are made of different woods such as chestnut, cherry, oak, mulberry, ash, and juniper. True balsamic vinegar is rich, glossy, deep brown, and has a complex flavor that balances the natural sweet and sour elements of the cooked grape juice with hints of wood from the casks.