I've tried several different varieties of Balsamic vinegar, frankly perplexed with all the excitement about this vinegar, but when I was offered this Goccia Nera Balsamic at a discount in exchange for my honest review, I thought I'd see how it compares to the other vinegars—Balsamic included—I've bought at the grocery store. Before the vinegar arrived, I got out on the internet researching how to use it properly. I've been doing it wrong: I was just dumping a bunch of it onto things in the same ratio I'd use regular vinegar, and I did not care for it at all.
I have subsequently learned that this is NOT the way to use a good Balsamic vinegar. A few drops go a long, long way. Although the product description for this Modena vinegar says it's best for "pouring" over vegetables, I would not do that. What I found is that it's best used very sparingly as a way to brighten and finish a soup or maybe a half teaspoon tossed into roasted vegetables or onto strawberries. Used this way, this vinegar adds a fresh, bright flavor and a special quality to a meal. Some people take a small spoonful of the vinegar as an aperitif or digestif. Good balsamic vinegar has a surprising number of health benefits, which I wasn't aware of, so definitely google it.
I was mainly interested in this vinegar as a condiment to perk up meals. I'm no gourmet cook or savvy vinegar user by any stretch, but what I notice about this vinegar is its thickness. Its surface tension in a spoon is pretty impressive; it is not prone to splashing out even when the spoon is full. But it's not sticky-syrupy either. Just taken directly from the spoon as a tonic, it is not too sweet like some other Balsamic vinegar I've tried, and this in my book is a good thing. I've gotten pretty sensitive to products they've added refined sugar to, and I dislike them. This vinegar has a natural, subtle sweetness. Calorically, it has 30 calories per tablespoon, which is about double what I read is average for Balsamic vinegar, and the sugar content is higher than average. This is why you don't need much! I like the pouring spout, which helps dispense a small amount without spilling. It makes it easy to add a dash at the table to your meal.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2016
I have subsequently learned that this is NOT the way to use a good Balsamic vinegar. A few drops go a long, long way. Although the product description for this Modena vinegar says it's best for "pouring" over vegetables, I would not do that. What I found is that it's best used very sparingly as a way to brighten and finish a soup or maybe a half teaspoon tossed into roasted vegetables or onto strawberries. Used this way, this vinegar adds a fresh, bright flavor and a special quality to a meal. Some people take a small spoonful of the vinegar as an aperitif or digestif. Good balsamic vinegar has a surprising number of health benefits, which I wasn't aware of, so definitely google it.
I was mainly interested in this vinegar as a condiment to perk up meals. I'm no gourmet cook or savvy vinegar user by any stretch, but what I notice about this vinegar is its thickness. Its surface tension in a spoon is pretty impressive; it is not prone to splashing out even when the spoon is full. But it's not sticky-syrupy either. Just taken directly from the spoon as a tonic, it is not too sweet like some other Balsamic vinegar I've tried, and this in my book is a good thing. I've gotten pretty sensitive to products they've added refined sugar to, and I dislike them. This vinegar has a natural, subtle sweetness. Calorically, it has 30 calories per tablespoon, which is about double what I read is average for Balsamic vinegar, and the sugar content is higher than average. This is why you don't need much! I like the pouring spout, which helps dispense a small amount without spilling. It makes it easy to add a dash at the table to your meal.
Not sticky-syrupy, but thick and bright
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2016
I've tried several different varieties of Balsamic vinegar, frankly perplexed with all the excitement about this vinegar, but when I was offered this Goccia Nera Balsamic at a discount in exchange for my honest review, I thought I'd see how it compares to the other vinegars—Balsamic included—I've bought at the grocery store. Before the vinegar arrived, I got out on the internet researching how to use it properly. I've been doing it wrong: I was just dumping a bunch of it onto things in the same ratio I'd use regular vinegar, and I did not care for it at all.Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2016
I have subsequently learned that this is NOT the way to use a good Balsamic vinegar. A few drops go a long, long way. Although the product description for this Modena vinegar says it's best for "pouring" over vegetables, I would not do that. What I found is that it's best used very sparingly as a way to brighten and finish a soup or maybe a half teaspoon tossed into roasted vegetables or onto strawberries. Used this way, this vinegar adds a fresh, bright flavor and a special quality to a meal. Some people take a small spoonful of the vinegar as an aperitif or digestif. Good balsamic vinegar has a surprising number of health benefits, which I wasn't aware of, so definitely google it.
I was mainly interested in this vinegar as a condiment to perk up meals. I'm no gourmet cook or savvy vinegar user by any stretch, but what I notice about this vinegar is its thickness. Its surface tension in a spoon is pretty impressive; it is not prone to splashing out even when the spoon is full. But it's not sticky-syrupy either. Just taken directly from the spoon as a tonic, it is not too sweet like some other Balsamic vinegar I've tried, and this in my book is a good thing. I've gotten pretty sensitive to products they've added refined sugar to, and I dislike them. This vinegar has a natural, subtle sweetness. Calorically, it has 30 calories per tablespoon, which is about double what I read is average for Balsamic vinegar, and the sugar content is higher than average. This is why you don't need much! I like the pouring spout, which helps dispense a small amount without spilling. It makes it easy to add a dash at the table to your meal.
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