Know what's ON YOUR TABLE
We created this guide to help you understand what to look for when choosing oils and vinegars. The true value and health benefits hide in the specific properties of the product. contact us if you’d like to know more about oils and vinegars - we’ll be delighted to assist you.
olive oil
OLIVE OIL ACIDITY
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% of free fatty acids in olive oil - the lower % value the better.
The lower degree of acidity a virgin olive oil has the fresher it is and the longer it’ll keep its health characteristics
Must not exceed 0.8% to be classed as EXTRA VIRGIN however truly high quality oils should have acidity much lower than this.
As we only source ultra-high quality extra virgin olive oils, the acidity level is clearly stated for each product in our Shop.
vinegar
TRADITIONAL BALSAMIC VINEGAR PDO (or Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale DOP) is a strictly regulated product to guarantee its highest quality and authenticity.
It’s exclusively manufactured in one of these two provinces of Italy: Modena or Reggio Emilia. Vinegars made elsewhere in the world are not authentic traditional balsamic vinegars. As a result the only truly genuine traditional balsamic vinegars must be named:
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Either, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP
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Or, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia DOP
The exact above wording is crucial and it’s only legally allowed to be used with the most premium type of balsamic vinegars, following stringent manufacturing process. When you see any, even the slightest deviation from the above denominations on the product label, it means it’s not the ultra high quality Traditional Balsamic Vinegar DOP but a different type of product.
It can be produced from only one ingredient - cooked grape must; no other ingredients or additives are allowed.
It must be aged for at least 12 years. Vinegars younger than 12 years are not authentic traditional balsamic vinegars. Once the ageing process reaches 25 years or more, only then regulations allow adding "Extra Vecchio" (Extra Aged) to the official name of the product.
Traditional Balsamic Vinegar DOP is sealed and bottled by an authorised consortium and only comes in patented 100ml shaped bottles. No other bottle sizes or types are legally allowed so it’s very easy to differentiate between the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar and other, less premium vinegars.
It’s protected under the European Protected Designation of Origin certification system DOP (or PDO) and the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar must have the characteristic red and yellow DOP stamp on the bottle - otherwise it’s not an authentic product.
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You can find our hand-picked selection of the finest Traditional Balsamic Vinegars DOP in our Shop.
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OLIVE OIL POLYPHENOLS
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Antioxidants in olive oil - the more the better.
Contribute significantly to health claims, oxidative stability and shelf life.
The more polyphenols the more intense sensation of pungency and bitterness in olive oil taste.
All our extra virgin olive oils are tested and analysed at certified labs. We hand-pick the ones with the highest concentration of polyphenols so you can rest assured you get the maximum health benefit out of any oil you purchase in our specialised Shop. You can easily find out how many polyphenols each of our oils contains by checking out the 'Know Your Oil' section on each particular product page. It's expressed in mg per kg and a truly healthy oil will contain hundreds of them.
BALSAMIC VINEGAR IGP (or Aceto Balsamico IGP) is regulated to guarantee its quality and authenticity.
It’s exclusively manufactured in one of these two regions of Italy: Modena or Reggio Emilia. Vinegars made elsewhere in the world are not authentic balsamic vinegars.
It’s made from grape must blended with grape vinegar and optionally caramel (max 2%); no other ingredients or additives are allowed for the vinegar to be sold as the Balsamic Vinegar IGP.
It must be aged for at least 60 days..
Balsamic Vinegar IGP can be sealed in various bottles with a minimum capacity of 250ml.
It’s protected under the European Indication of Geographic Protection certification system (IGP) and the Balsamic Vinegar must have the characteristic blue and yellow IGP stamp on the bottle - otherwise it’s not an authentic product.
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We have curated for you an impressive selection of authentic Balsamic Vinegars IGP in our specialised Shop.
CERTIFICATION
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DOP | PDO
Denominazione d’Origine Protetta | Protected Designation of Origin
The DOP certification ensures that your favorite olive oil, vinegar or condiment is produced, processed and packaged according to tradition in a specific geographical area. All steps, from production to packaging, are strictly regulated.
It means that the entire production chain, from harvesting to milling or ageing of the product, takes place strictly within the boundaries of the specific area, for example Province of Modena in case of the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar; this constitutes a production and cultural heritage.
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IGP
Indicazione Geografica Protetta |
Indication of Geographic Protection
The IGP certification indicates that the quality or reputation of your oil, vinegar or condiment is linked to the specific place or region where it is produced, processed, or prepared.
vinegar
VINEGAR ACIDITY
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The lower acidity the sweeter the taste.
Minimum required concentration of acetic acid (acidity) depending on the vinegar type:
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Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena 4.5g/100g
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Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia 5g/100g
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Balsamic Vinegar of Modena 6g/100g
VINEGAR DENSITY
The higher the density the thicker, more silky texture of the vinegar.
Minimum required density depending on the vinegar type:
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Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena 1.24g/ml
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Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia 1.20g/ml
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Balsamic Vinegar of Modena 1.06g/ml
