Private Balsamic Vinegar Tour and Tasting at a Family-Owned Acetaia in a Historic Home - Day Trip

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Mariangela lives in a beautiful home that has been in their family for centuries and houses the family 'acetaia' (where vinegar is aged in barrels). The family 'acetaia' was started by Mariangela’s great-grandfather Alfonso, and built for their family’s use. Since then, the lofts of the ancient house in Vignola have been full of vinegar barrels made from organic grapes from their vineyards in Savignano sul Panaro. The acetaia as we know it now, called "La Cà dal Non” (house of the grandfather) was started in 1996 by Mariangela and her brother. While studying at university, Mariangela grew interested in the family tradition and decided to sell vinegar to the public in her grandfather’s name. Traditional balsamic vinegar can take 2-25 years to mature and, as Mariangela says, makes you respect the process and time it takes to make a great vinegar. Mariangela loves working with the barrels and is fascinated by the fact that you can work on a product started by someone you have never met. She spent a lot of time in their loft, learning with her father, and her time their now brings back fond memories of her time together with her father, learning their family tradition. Mariangela is excited to share her culture, family history, and Modena's tradition of vinegar making with travelers. Meet your host Mariangela, a fun, energetic host and mother of four, at her family home and acetaia for a vinegar tour, tasting and food pairing. As you walk into her beautiful courtyard you are transported in time. Visiting this old traditional vinegary is a unique experience: you enter a world full of history, visit lofts where the concept of time is lost in the long aging process, and breathe in the delicate perfume of traditional vinegar. Mariangela will welcome you in the courtyard before starting your tour in the tasting room where you will hear about Mariangela's family story of producing balsamic vinegar. Learn about how traditional balsamic vinegar, saba (a grape juice condiment to make dishes more aromatic, which has been produced since ancient Roman times), and balsam saba (family recipe for a cooking condiment) are made. Then walk up a spiral staircase to the historic loft (where the magic happens!) and get an insider’s glimpse into how vinegar is aged in a variety of wooden barrels. Return to the tasting room or outdoor farm table, weather permitting, for a vinegar and saba spoon tasting. Your tasting will include a food pairing with signature ingredients of the region - Parmigiana Reggiano cheese, Parma ham and bread, and seasonal fruit. Your tour and tasting will last about two hours. Mariangela will leave you with a small (50 ml) travel-sized bottle of the family’s aged 12-year old vinegar, and memories that will last a lifetime.

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