At the gates of the city of Modena stands Acetaia Marchi, a family-run business focused on producing Balsamic Vinegar. It was 1910 when the ancestors of the Marchi family began keeping barrels of Black Gold in their attic: even back then, such a precious product was universally considered to be of great value. In the vineyards, only native grape varieties are grown, deeply rooted in the traditions of the Modena and Reggio Emilia provinces. Surrounding the estate, you will find rows of both white grapes and red grapes. The grapes are harvested, gently pressed, and then the must obtained is cooked in open-air boilers. The tour continues by guiding guests through one of the ageing rooms for Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP. The most widely known of Balsamic Vinegars is made from two ingredients: cooked must and wine vinegar, which are skilfully blended and then aged in wooden barrels. Balsamic Vinegars must age for at least 12 or even 25 years. The tasting includes a wide variety of products from the company’s catalogue: in addition to highlighting the taste differences, this phase also delves into explaining possible culinary pairings in great detail.