All genuine Balsamic Vinegar is produced in the small area surrounding the Northern Italian town of Modena. One can compare it to olive oil in that there are two distinct categories: classic and commercial. Essentially you get what you pay for. Try the best balsamics from La Vecchia Dispensa dropped onto slithers of parmesan with an aperitif, on strawberries or on vanilla ice-cream. Remember that a little goes a long way.

The Italians in their wisdom no longer allow the age of a balsamic to even be alluded to.  Rather the bottles are labelled with different colours (?), red being the youngest or "in old money" the 8 year old.  This is a good entry level and is my favourite everyday balsamic. It's lush with a balanced fruitiness, and just a touch of the barrel's aging beginning to show. So much more flavour than the industrial stuff available in supermarkets but affordable enough to use every day. Size: 25cl