6 Ways To Tell If Your Balsamic Vinegar Is Fake

A simple task like buying a bottle of balsamic vinegar can be surprisingly complicated. You might have heard that most vinegars in supermarkets are fake, but what exactly does that mean?

Balsamic vinegar can be categorized into three grades. What's considered the real balsamic vinegar is highly regulated and will be labelled aceto balsamico tradizionale and DOP or PDO (both of which stand for Protected Designation of Origin). This traditional balsamic vinegar is both expensive and scarce, so it's unlikely that you'll be picking it up off your grocery store shelf without knowing it. What you're more likely to find is PGI or IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) and labeled aceto balsamico di Modena, which doesn't have the same strict requirements as DOP balsamic vinegar but is still a regulated product and can be considered balsamic vinegar.

The third grade is known as industrial balsamic vinegar, and this is the imitation balsamic you want to avoid. There are no regulations regarding production, ingredients, or even the use of the name balsamic on the label, making it even more confusing for customers.

Starting with the outside of the bottle, the first sign of an authentic bottle of balsamic vinegar will be the correct certification. True balsamic vinegar will be labelled PDO or DOP and bear a red and yellow logo with the text "Protected Designation of Origin" or "Denominazione d'Origine Protetta." This is a certification designed to protect heritage foods from a certain region. Think of Champagne, which is named sparkling wine unless it comes from the Champagne region of France, or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Traditional balsamic vinegar was awarded DOP status in 1986 by the Italian government and in 2000 by the European Union. Two regions are recognized as producing this true balsamic vinegar — Modena and Reggio Emilia — so they will be labelled as Aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena or Aceto balsamico tradizionale di Reggio Emilia. Of the three grades of balsamic vinegar, this is the only one permitted to use tradizionale or traditional in the name.

The PGI certification is a similar concept, but less restrictive. Balsamic vinegars labeled PGI must have been produced in the Modena region, but can contain ingredients from elsewhere. These bottles will bear a similar logo, but in blue and yellow, and with the text Protected Geographical Indication or Indicazione Geografica Protetta. Fake vinegars won't have either certification and must not contain the words Modena or Reggio Emilia on the label.

Balsamic vinegar should contain just one thing: Grape must. Grape must is fresh grape juice that contains all the solid portions of the grapes, including the skin, seeds, and stems. This is in contrast with grape juice that you'd buy for drinking, which is filtered to remove solids, then pasteurized to make it shelf stable. The grapes used in traditional balsamic vinegar must be one of seven approved varieties and must be grown in the same region as production, either Modena or Emilio Reggiano. It's only through a long aging process that this grape juice turns into vinegar, so fake bottles of balsamic will usually include vinegar as an ingredient to try and replicate the taste of the original.

PGI vinegars have looser restrictions when it comes to ingredients and their ratios. In fact, a bottle of PGI balsamic is required to contain at least 10% aged wine vinegar as an added ingredient to raise its acidity levels, but cheaper bottles can contain as much as 80%. PGI balsamic may also contain up to 2% caramel, which is used for color. If you want the best of the PGI, look for those without artificial coloring and with the highest percentage of grape must. Imitation bottles that include other ingredients such as gums or starches, or worse still list the ingredients as simply "balsamic vinegar," should be given a wide berth.

If you've ever wondered why there is such a big difference in price between traditional balsamic vinegar and imitations, the age probably has a lot to do with it. To attain the DOP seal, balsamic vinegar needs to be aged for at least 12 years, and that's only the beginning. Authentic balsamic vinegar from Modena can be categorized as affinato (12 years) or extravecchio (25 years). Emilio Reggiano vinegar has an additional grade and can be aged for 12 years, 18 years or 25 years. As well as requiring a significant time, the production process is somewhat complex. It requires a minimum of five barrels of different sizes and different woods. At the end of each year, vinegar is taken from the smallest barrel for bottling, and is topped up from the second smallest — continuing along the line to the largest cask, with is topped up with the new grape must.

The required aging time for PGI balsamic is only 60 days, making it much cheaper to produce. There is also no requirement for the vinegar to be put through the same multi-barrel process, though there is a requirement that it must be aged in wood. PGI balsamic that has been aged for at least three years is permitted to use the word "aged" or invecchiato on the label. Industrial balsamic vinegar has no aging requirements whatsoever.

Before the introduction of the DOP certification, producers found their own way to signify that the balsamic vinegar they produced was the real deal by using uniquely shaped bottles. These bottle shapes are distinct to the two regions associated with the DOP label, so balsamic from Modena is sold in a bottle with a bulb shape, while that from Reggio Emilia has an inverted tulip shape. You'll also notice that they are small, which is not just due to the high cost of the content — it's a requirement that these bottles have a 100 ml capacity. The bottles are closed with a wax seal in a color that refers to the age or quality, depending on the region. Due to the rise of imitation products, these seals should also be numbered.

Modena PGI vinegar can be sold in bottles of any shape, but with one requirement: The volume must be between 250 and 500 ml. This larger minimum size prevents any confusion with DOP vinegar. Fake vinegars have no restrictions on the shape or capacity of the bottle.

Authentic balsamic vinegar will have a deep brown color and a syrupy texture that sets it apart from Modena PGI or imitation balsamic. The longer it's aged, the thicker and darker it will become, but even a 12-year-old balsamic will be thick enough to coat a spoon. A traditional balsamic vinegar will have a complex flavor that balances sweetness, acidity, and notes of wood from the aging process, but this isn't something you'll be able to test before buying.

PGI balsamic will be brighter in color and less viscous in general, but it can vary greatly depending on the brand. To check for quality, you can tilt the bottle to see how quickly the vinegar moves down the walls. Generally speaking, thicker vinegars are of higher quality and contain a greater percentage of grape must.

Ironically, the texture and color of an unregulated industrial balsamic vinegar could be closer to the original than a PGI version. With no restriction on ingredients, manufacturers are free to add starches and other additives to help replicate the rich color and viscosity of a DOP vinegar.

If all the other elements on this list don't give you an answer about the authenticity of your balsamic vinegar, then the price certainly will. For a 100ml (3.4 oz) 12-year aged bottle you'll be looking at a price of at least $80, but prices for balsamic can easily reach over $400 for older vinegars. At this price it's not designed for cooking but used as a finishing vinegar for risotto, meats, or even dessert.

A bottle of PGI vinegar won't reach those dizzying heights, even if you opt for the top shelf stuff. A high-end bottle like this one from Giusti is a comparatively affordable $40 for 250ml, but you can still find good quality bottles priced under $10 (Colavita). There is likely to be a lot of overlap in price with fake vinegars, particularly those that try to pass themselves off as the real thing. But you can be assured that a brand offering a 16-ounce bottle for a price under $5 hasn't been anywhere near a traditional balsamic vinegar.