Small Group Highlight: Balsamic Vinegar Tour and Tasting

Traditional balsamic vinegar originated in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, where locals have been manufacturing it for hundreds of years. Known for its viscosity, dark brown color, complex flavor profile, and high price tag, traditional balsamic vinegar bears little resemblance to the bottles of balsamic vinegar on sale at your local grocery store in the U.S.  On Italy’s Classic Cities, our newest small group journey, we tour a family-run acetaia, or traditional balsamic vinegar production facility, to see this time-honored manufacturing technique – and sample the goods – for ourselves.

As we approach Antica Acetaia Cavedoni by motorcoach, we can’t help but marvel at the beautiful vineyards surrounding the acetaia. The finest traditional balsamic vinegar calls for the freshest locally sourced ingredients, and the Cavedoni family has grown the grapes used in their balsamic vinegar since they first opened the acetaia in 1860.

As we make our way inside, we’re greeted by rows of wood barrels of varying sizes, each containing traditional balsamic vinegar at a different stage of the natural aging process. The tour ends in a room housing the two oldest batteries of barrels at Antica Acetaia Cavedoni, one dating back to 1900 and the other to 1860.

Once we finish touring the vinegar cellar, it’s time for the main event: a traditional balsamic vinegar tasting. Our guide leads us into the tasting room where we sample some of the vinegar produced here, starting with the youngest and working our way through to the oldest.

Experience this intimate and authentic acetaia tour – and so much more – on our new Italy's Classic Cities small group tour, now booking for 2025.