The Best Balsamic Vinegar

We all love experiencing the flavors of our favorite dishes that have their foundation on essential ingredients. For example, those who enjoy pasta do so thanks to the extraordinary taste of EVOO and basil. Additionally, a key tangy ingredient that increases the flavor of other components is balsamic vinegar. What makes this gourmet food exceptional is its artisan preparation.

Learn how the best balsamic vinegar is made, its fantastic health benefits, and how to get the best quality for a variety of dishes.

How is balsamic vinegar made?

As you may already know, California EVOO is hand-crafted by artisan farmers who collect the juice of olives to create fantastic extra virgin olive oil. Similarly, the juice from wine grapes -either red or white- are fermented and aged for several years in barrels to make balsamic vinegar. The result is very different from other vinegars. Its color is darker, and its texture is thicker.

In fact, balsamic vinegar has three preparation phases: pressing and cooking, fermentation, and aging.

• Pressing and cooking. The pressing process is the same as the one that creates wine. In contrast, to make balsamic vinegar, the grape must be slowly cooked and boiled. After 10-12 hours, it is reduced to 30%. Typically, 1 ton of grapes gives 70 liters of must, which is reduced to 30 liters after this cooking process.
• Fermentation. At an outside temperature of 20° C or about 68° F, the cooked must begins its fermentation process. These ideal conditions can be found at a few places like California, perfect for producing authentic EVOO and balsamic vinegar. This process is easier now that there is a high concentration of sugars, which microorganisms start to ferment.
• Aging. This part of the process requires great patience since it takes at least 12 years of maturing inside wood barrels -usually oak barrels- that add to its unique flavor. Yet, at the end of this period, it results in exceptional aged balsamic vinegar .

Without a doubt, this is a unique process that has been perfected for centuries. We can now enjoy its outstanding flavor and benefits at We Olive’s olive oil store. But what are those benefits we refer to?

Benefits of consuming balsamic vinegar

Balsamic vinegar is not only rich in minerals but also contains healing properties and health benefits. Did you know that balsamic vinegar was used in ancient times to treat bone pains and to treat rheumatism? Additionally, in the Middle Ages, it was used as a disinfectant and to provide relief for sore throats.

Therefore, imagine the numerous benefits to our health today since it retains many of the nutrients of the grape and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, and magnesium.

Moreover, studies show that balsamic vinegar is a natural disinfectant even today and can be used as a beauty balm. For example, it removes mold and toxic bacteria and helps restore PH levels, thus, reducing acne and hair problems. Indeed, it is another remarkable byproduct of grapes.

Get the best balsamic vinegar today!

In the past, balsamic vinegar was only made in Italy. Over time, countries all over the world have been able to produce it. However, California has a privileged geographical location to produce top-quality balsamic vinegar and authentic extra virgin olive oil.

Therefore, use our olive oil store near me search tool to find the closest We Olive to you, so you can come to our tasting rooms and enjoy the best balsamic vinegar and the finest cuisine. Or simply browse through our online store at shop.weolive.com to shop the favorite products, including EVOO, balsamic vinegar, and flavored balsamic vinegar. Find out today why We Olive is a top-rated retail store that supports the best artisan California producers!