# What is the difference between cheap and expensive balsamic vinegar? Canonical: https://zestasy.com/wiki/cheap-vs-expensive-balsamic/ Section: Zestasy Wiki > Food · Updated: 2026-10-14 · Publisher: Zestasy *Zestasy Wiki: our reference answers. Checked for facts and sources; less curated than the magazine.* Expensive traditional balsamic (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale DOP) is made only from cooked grape must and aged in wooden barrels for at least twelve years. Everyday Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP blends grape must with wine vinegar and is aged for a much shorter period, and condiments and glazes sit outside both rules. Use the traditional kind in drops, the IGP kind in dressings and cooking. Balsamic vinegar covers everything from a supermarket bottle you splash on salad to a tiny, sealed flask that costs more than dinner for four. They are not better and worse versions of the same thing. They are different products made in different ways, and once you know which is which, it is easy to use each well. ## Traditional balsamic vinegar (DOP) The top of the tree is **Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale**, made in Modena or Reggio Emilia under a protected designation of origin (DOP in Italian, PDO in English). [Wikipedia's entry on traditional balsamic vinegar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_balsamic_vinegar) describes it as produced from cooked grape must and aged for at least twelve years. The [Consorzio of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena](https://www.balsamicotradizionale.it/en/the-product/) explains that its product specifications require at least twelve years of ageing for the *Affinato* and at least twenty-five for the *Extravecchio*, that each batch must pass a tasting panel, and that Modena's version is sold only in a distinctive, numbered bottle. What you get is thick, glossy, deeply sweet and sour at once, with a long, woody, complex flavour. It is meant to be used in drops. ## Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (IGP) The bottle in most kitchens is **Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP** (PGI in English). The [Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena](https://www.consorziobalsamico.it/balsamic-vinegar-of-modena/?lang=en) describes it as made from grape must with added aged vinegar and wine vinegar, matured in wooden barrels, and notes that it was registered as a PGI by the European Union in 2009. According to [Wikipedia's summary of the IGP rules](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balsamic_vinegar_of_Modena), the regulations allow a wide range of grape must and wine vinegar in the blend, permit a little caramel for colour, and require ageing in wood for at least sixty days; if it has spent three years or more in wood it can be labelled *invecchiato*, meaning aged. Within this category, quality and price vary a lot. Labels with more grape must listed first and some ageing tend to be thicker and sweeter. ## Condiments, glazes and "balsamic" products Then there is everything else. [Wikipedia's balsamic vinegar entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balsamic_vinegar) notes that the general term *aceto balsamico* is not regulated, while only three types are protected; many glazes and condiments are made using IGP balsamic as an ingredient. Some of these are excellent, thick and fruity; others are mostly sweetened vinegar. Read the label for what is in it. ## How to use each **Traditional DOP:** - A few drops over shavings of Parmigiano, or on ripe strawberries. - On a spoon of vanilla gelato. - Over a simple risotto or a soft egg right at the end. - Never cooked, never in a vinaigrette. Heat and mixing waste what you paid for. **IGP Balsamic of Modena:** - In dressings, with olive oil, salt and a little mustard. - Splashed into roasting vegetables in the last part of their time in the oven, or into a pan of onions to finish. - Reduced gently in a small pan into a sticky syrup to drizzle over roasted squash, figs or grilled peaches. - In a sweet-sour [agrodolce](https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-is-agrodolce/) sauce. **Glazes and condiments:** convenient for drizzling over a plate when you want instant gloss. Use them as a finishing touch rather than a main ingredient in dressings. ## Is the expensive kind worth it? For everyday cooking, no. A decent IGP bottle does every job a weeknight asks of it. Traditional balsamic is a treat in its own category, closer to a great wine or an aged cheese, and a small bottle lasts a long time when used in drops. If you want something in between, look for a good aged IGP or a condiment that lists grape must first. ## FAQ ### What does "balsamic" mean? [Wikipedia's balsamic vinegar entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balsamic_vinegar) explains that it means balsam-like, from the old idea of an aromatic, restorative balm. Today it simply names the style of vinegar. ### How should we store balsamic vinegar? Keep the bottle closed, away from heat and light. It keeps well; traditional balsamic in particular is built to last. ### Does balsamic go with caprese salad? [Wikipedia's caprese salad entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caprese_salad) notes that in Italy it is often eaten as an antipasto without vinegar. Balsamic is common elsewhere and can be tasty, but a little goes a long way; our [caprese](https://zestasy.com/wiki/good-caprese/) page explains why we keep it simple. ## Sources - [Wikipedia: Traditional balsamic vinegar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_balsamic_vinegar) - [Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena: The product](https://www.balsamicotradizionale.it/en/the-product/) - [Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena: Balsamic vinegar of Modena](https://www.consorziobalsamico.it/balsamic-vinegar-of-modena/?lang=en) - [Wikipedia: Balsamic vinegar of Modena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balsamic_vinegar_of_Modena) - [Wikipedia: Balsamic vinegar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balsamic_vinegar) - [Wikipedia: Caprese salad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caprese_salad) ## Related - [Which vinegar should you use for what?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/which-vinegar-for-what/) - [What does agrodolce mean in Italian cooking?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-is-agrodolce/) - [What do you do with fresh figs?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/fresh-figs/) - [What makes a caprese salad worth eating?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/good-caprese/) - [How do you make a vinaigrette that doesn't separate?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/vinaigrette-that-holds/) - [All Food answers in the Wiki](https://zestasy.com/wiki/#food)