Meet your host Mariangela, a fun and energetic host (and mother of four) at her family home and vinegar acetaia for a Modena balsamic vinegar tour, followed by a tasting and food pairing. The vinegary is in Vignola and Vignola is 20 km from Modena and 20 km from Bologna. As you walk into her beautiful courtyard you are transported in time. Visiting this old traditional vinegary is a unique experience: you enter a world full of history, visit lofts where the concept of time is lost in the long aging process, and breathe in the delicate perfume of traditional vinegar. Mariangela will welcome you in the courtyard before starting your tour in the tasting room where you will hear about Mariangela's family story of producing balsamic vinegar. Learn about how traditional balsamic vinegar, saba (a grape juice condiment to make dishes more aromatic which has been produced since ancient Roman times), and balsam saba (family recipe for a cooking condiment) are made. Then walk up a spiral staircase to the historic loft (where the magic happens!) and get an insider’s glimpse into how vinegar is aged in a variety of differently sized wooden barrels. Return to the tasting room or a farmer’s table, weather permitting, for a vinegar and saba spoon tasting as well as a food pairing with signature ingredients of the region - Parmigiana Reggiano cheese, Parma ham and bread, and seasonal fruit. Your tour and tasting will last about two hours. On days that Mariangela is away, her mother Giovanna, also an expert at vinegar will be your host.
Please note that the vinegary is located in Vignola, a town in the province of Modena. Located 20 km from the center of Modena, it is midway between Modena and Bologna. Mariangela can be flexible with time so if you would like to start slightly earlier or later feel free to let her know when making your booking.
Please note that this producer does offer a free tour directly on her site. The difference between their free offer and this experience is that this is a private experience with the owner herself and includes a food pairing and a bottle of saba that you can take home.
This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
Vinegar and saba spoon tastingFood pairing: Parmigiana Reggiano cheese, Parma ham and bread, and seasonal fruitMariangela lives in a beautiful home, also the home of the acetaia that her father grew up in that has been in their family for centuries. The family 'acetaia' (Italian for home for vinegar that ages vinegar in barrels) was started by Mariangela’s great grandfather Alfonso, and built for their family’s use. Since then, the lofts of the ancient house in Vignola have been full of vinegar barrels made from organic grapes from their vineyards in Savignano sul Panaro. The acetaia as we know it now, called "La Cà dal Non” (house of the grandfather) was started in 1996 by Mariangela and her brother. While studying at university, Mariangela grew interested in the family tradition and decided to sell vinegar to the public in her grandfather’s name. Traditional balsamic vinegar can take 2-25 years to mature and it makes you respect the process and the time it takes to make a great vinegar. Mariangela loves working with the barrels and is fascinated by the fact that you can work on a product started by someone you have never met. She spent a lot of time in their loft, learning with her father, and her time their now brings back fond memories of her time together with her father, learning their family tradition. Mariangela is excited to share her culture, family history, and the tradition of vinegar making in Modena with travelers.
"If I could give them 10 stars, I would. This day trip was a highlight of our stay in Florence! Marieangela and Giovanna were so welcoming and accommodating. Giovanna picked us up at the train station in the rain and gave us a fabulous tour with all the history of their acetaia. We even had a delightful snack at the end so we could see how the different types are used. Just a wonderful tour!"
"This tour was one of the best things we did on our trip to Italy. It is a stunning old farmhouse compound that the city grew up against. And Nonna was so personal and enriching, with the process for TRADITIONAL balsamic vinegar very educational.
I would most highly recommend scheduling this tour if your interests at all lie in this direction."
"The insight into the operation of the vinegar production that runs in the family was extremely informative and exciting. The tour was great and the story behind it was great. Also top culinary, being able to taste the different types of vinegar. We can only recommend to visit in any case!"
"We were welcomed even though I had made a mistake when making our reservation. Our host and the owner greeted us with surprise upon our unexpected arrival and graciously lead us on informative tour of the family history and current operation of their vinegar production process. I felt that we could not have found a more authentic experience and truly delicious tasting! We purchased some vinegars and will be enjoying our bit of Modena soon with the recipes that came with the gift pack. Prego!"
