I Solai di San Giorgio was born from Emilian families linked to their land,
traditions and passion for excellent food products.
Based on these values we produce proudly Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI, balsamic creams, seasonings and wine vinegars.
Our Company is located in Ganaceto, few minutes from Modena, in the "heart" of the balsamic vinegar. San Giorgio is the patron of our small town where in the attics (Solai) of the ancient houses of the Modena families, the precious barrels of balsamic vinegar were kept. Hence the idea of developing the brand: I Solai di San Giorgio.
Since the foundation we tried to carry on our business with respect for tradition and with a mentality ready to accept the new challenges of the constantly evolving market.
A bit of History
The adjective BALSAMIC appears for the first time in some historical sources of the XVIII century. Among all, we like to recall one. In 1792 Duke Ercole III D'Este as a gift for the coronation of Francis I of Austria as emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, sent a bottle of balsamic vinegar to Frankfurt, this gesture attests as "consideration" and "nobility" was attributed with balsamic vinegar as early as the end of the eighteenth century. But he was still not well known to most of the population.
In fact, it was produced with methods jealously guarded as family secrets and kept in the attics of aristocratic families, (as well as in the attics of the Este court of the Duchies of Modena and Reggio). It was in fact an integral part of the family patrimony, so as to be given as a "wedding dowry" to daughters about to get married, or bequeathed to posterity. It was only after the Napoleonic period that the "vasselli" became a valuable bargaining chip to pay off the debts of the French imperial administration and the wealthier bourgeoisie was thus able to "boast" of getting hold of an aristocratic symbol.
Shortly thereafter, he actually entered the habitual consumption of the families of Modena and Reggio Emilia and his fame and use became more and more the preserve of connoisseurs even outside the Emilian borders ...
A bit of Technique
TBVM (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena) POD
Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is obtained by cooking the must of typical Modena grapes: primarily Trebbiano, then Lambrusco, Spergola, Berzemino. The typical climate of the Modena and Reggio plain also plays a fundamental role, muggy heat in summer and wet cold in winter, especially in the attics of old and country houses, where the heat exchange allows the acetobacteria and yeasts to ferment the must and allow its acetic bioxidation to give vinegar the typical "scents" of balsamic vinegar.
It starts with the pressing of the grapes and then the must thus obtained is cooked over a low heat and in the open air in special boilers until it reaches a concentration that varies from 30 to 50%. Once fermented and acetified, the product begins the process of "maturation" and aging usually in the batteries (set of barrels, usually 5 or 7, which start from the "badessa" larger barrel, up to the smaller one that contains the product more " precious ") and undergoes continuous concentration, due to the loss of aqueous volume by evaporation. The evaporated part of the smaller barrel is filled year after year with the product contained in the nearest upstream barrel (so-called "refilling") and so on up to the larger barrel which is filled with fresh product (so-called "topping").
BVM (Balsamic Vinegar of Modena) PGI
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI is obtained by adding aged vinegar and wine vinegar to the cooked grape must and left in wooden barrels for aging.
The vines used are: Lambrusco, Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Albana, Ancellotta, Fortana and Montuni. Aged and refined wine vinegar is added to the cooked must. Sometimes on the market there are products with very fluid densities, to which it is possible to add a percentage of caramel (E150d), up to a maximum of 2% of the finished product.
In our balsamic vinegar we have decided to use a higher percentage of cooked grape must
which allowed us to avoid the use of caramel, even in the most fluid densities.
Refinement varies from a minimum period of 2 months to three years (and beyond), period after which the vinegar can bear the word "aged" on the label.
A bit of Clarity
- Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena POD
- Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia POD
- Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI
- Seasonings based on Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI
- Creams or glazes based on Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI
The condiments are obtained with cooked grape must and wine vinegar but they do not reach acidity of 6% and therefore cannot be called, also for this reason, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.
The balsamic glazes or creams are obtained with a part of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI in addition to cooked grape must and corn starch.
