Real balsamic is made from common white grapes found in Northern Italy. These grapes are slowly cooked down into a ‘must’ – whole clusters, stems, seeds, etc.

White balsamic is not cooked down as long, thus the sugars don’t caramelize. This makes them less sweet and a tad more acidic than their dark counterparts. They are aged in both wood casks and stainless steel tanks, which reduced coloring.

Dark balsamic is cooked down longer, until the sugars caramelize, which produces the darker color, thicker texture and sweeter flavor. They are aged exclusively in wood casks which also contribute to their dark color.