Aceto Balsamico 12 ans, Malpighi (10 cl)

90 kg of grapes will yield approximately 72 litres of must. This must, instead of being immediately transformed into wine, is cooked over a low flame (between 85 and 90° depending on the producer) for 24 to 30 hours, in the manner of cooked wine, in order to concentrate the aromas and caramelise the natural sugars. After this preliminary operation, only twenty to thirty litres of "mosto cotto" (cooked must) will remain, which will be cooled and then placed in "dames-jeannes" to undergo decanting during the winter. It should be noted that, at the end of the long maturing process of more than 25 years (Extra Vecchio quality), of the 72 litres of must, only one litre of balsamic will remain... It is usually in the spring that the very slow alcoholic fermentation in barrels begins. In general, the alcoholic fermentation is blocked at 4 degrees of acquired alcohol. This is followed by acetification using bacteria, as is known for vinegar.

Puis intervient le secret du balsamico, une technique particulière de mûrissement, variable d'un producteur à l'autre, qui consiste en une variation sur le principe de la solera espagnole qui est en usage pour l'élaboration du xérès. Après complète acétification, le balsamico est transvasé dans une succession de tonneaux de plus en plus petits, chacun étant construit dans un bois d'une origine différente. L'ensemble de ces tonneaux est appelé «batteria». Les différentes essences qui la composent sont le chêne, châtaignier, cerisier, le frêne, le mûrier et le genévrier. Chaque essence transmet un apport aromatique, une couleur et une concentration spécifiques.