When the Balsamic Vinegar tradition meets experimentation

Introduction

The casks of Balsamic Vinegar left to rest for decades or centuries in Giusti’s precious vinegar lofts contain Modena’s Black Gold. A precious liquid which the wood itself is extremely partial to, so that after many years of use the casks are often saturated. Indeed, the wood of the barrels represents the added value of a good Balsamic Vinegar, as it imparts its Balsamic aromas and characteristic fragrance to any product aged therein.

This is the principle that inspired Claudio Stefani Giusti: “to create a fusion of raw materials right from the outset, in order to endow the end product with a bouquet of aromas and tastes reminiscent of those found in barrels that have contained Balsamic Vinegar for years”.

The project

Flavour fusion is the creative idea that links three unique, innovative and surprising projects: Alchimia, Parma Barrique and Acetaia 1605.

The three products involve disused barrels which were in active service for many years in the ancient vinegar lofts of the Gran Deposito Giuseppe Giusti. Exhausted barrels now emptied of their precious liquid gold are not simply thrown away. Their wood still retains exquisite Balsamic aromas, a sweet and sour, fruity fragrance and a pleasant, woody persistence.
To fully exploit the inestimable potential of these casks, Acetaia Giusti reached out to three illustrious names in the culinary world, who were able to make the most of the incredible value of our barrels thanks to a mix of expertise and creativity.

Alchimia: the praline recalling the scents of an Acetaia

Alchimia – Acetaia Giusti and FUSTO Milano
Alchimia is the name of chocolates that bring together two of Italy’s top gastronomic companies, a partnership interpreted by master pastry chef and chocolatier Gianluca Fusto, which translates into a soft, enveloping product.
Alchimia chocolates begin with the ageing of dark chocolate drops for several months inside a small cask which contained Balsamic Vinegar for over a century, and thus still imparts all its aromas. The aged chocolate drops are then used to make a ganache enhanced with the addition of the iconic “Banda Rossa”: a Giusti Balsamic Vinegar which is aged at length and has distinct aromatic notes. The result is a chocolate that represents an unusual flavour journey, characterised by woody persistence and Balsamic roundness, combined with the bitter-sweet contrast of dark chocolate.

Discover more about Alchimia Gourmet project here.

Parma Barrique: the ageing of Prosciutto in wooden balsamic barrels

Parma Barrique – Acetaia Giusti and Prosciuttificio F.lli Galloni
Parma Barrique is a Prosciutto di Parma PDO ham aged for six months in Giusti barriques. The barrel chosen in this case was emptied of its Balsamic Vinegar only shortly before initiating the fusion of flavours, in order to exploit the higher acidity for an optimum result. The starting product, already aged for 18 months, acquires interesting Balsamic notes and is characterised by an unusual aromatic profile.

Acetaia 1605: the sorbet with infused balsamic wood

Acetaia 1605 – Acetaia Giusti and Ciacco Lab
Acetaia 1605 is a flavoured water-based sorbet created by gelato chef Stefano Guizzetti. The flavouring process involves a sous-vide infusion with fragments of wood taken from an ancient cask that contained Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO.
The base for the product, obtained through this flavour fusion between the raw materials, makes the sorbet pleasantly balsamic, delicate and fragrant.

Conclusion

The common thread that links these three gourmet proposals is a partnership and synergy with top names in the world of fine food, who have found a way to make the most of the tradition and eclectic nature of Giusti Balsamic Vinegar of Modena through innovative and unique artisan products.
A remarkable display of how to best interpret and express Italian know-how, using top quality raw materials coupled with originality and boldness.