Real deal balsamic straight from Italy.

Pull a bottle of balsamic vinegar off the grocery store shelf and it's almost impossible to tell what its origin is. We were sick of wondering so we picked out a vinegar that tastes good enough to drink and comes right from a balsamic vinegar house in Modena, Italy (where all the real-deal balsamics are made) called Antica Acetaia La Secchia.

This vinegar is certified I.G.P., which stands for Indicazione Geografica Protetta, or protected geographical indication, meaning that the vinegar has been verified as having been produced where it says it has: right in Modena. There are no additives or caramels to imitate a sweeter or thicker consistency. This is balsamic at its purest and best, made from grape musts (the fresh juice with stems, seeds, and skins for every last drop of flavor) aged in 5 different types of wood barrels: cherry, oak, acacia, chestnut, and mulberry. The combination gives the balsamic all of its complex and exciting layers of flavor.