Aceto Balsamico di Modena is not all the same: from the more “tart” and intense varieties to those that are sweet and smooth, from light and fluid to rich and creamy. This variety can make it difficult to choose the product that best suits your personal taste and intended use.
With the aim of providing an effective tool to help consumers identify the main sensory characteristics of the product on the shelf, the Consortium for the Protection of Aceto Balsamico di Modena has created the Consortium Profile seal: a logo that uses graphic and descriptive elements to summarize the product’s sensory profile.
It is not a ranking of quality or value, but rather a clear, straightforward and consistent information system, shared and endorsed by the Consorzio di Tutela, which oversees compliance with the rules and ensures that the product is communicated correctly.
The product’s sensory profile is described using a seal featuring three indicators:
An indicator of the product’s structure, texture, roundness and density, perceived as an overall sensory experience.
To describe taste at the two opposite ends of a five-level scale, which graphically indicates the predominance of one over the other and, consequently, the product’s greater or lesser freshness and pungency, or its greater or lesser sweetness and smoothness.
The descriptors are represented graphically by two arrows oriented counterclockwise and a chain consisting of five circular seals that are progressively filled.
The system is based on dividing the entire range of Aceto Balsamico di Modena products into five classes according to certified analytical data relating to the density of the final product and the quantity of total and reduced dry extract.
Its purpose is to highlight the main sensory characteristics of the individual products, helping consumers make informed and responsible purchasing decisions and making it easier to choose the product that best meets their intended use. Please find attached (Annex 1 – The classification parameters) the table containing the data of the five segments identified.
The color of the seal is burgundy, chosen because it echoes the color of the Consortium’s logo, as well as the color of the product and the area’s winemaking tradition. It is also the color of the sealing wax historically used to authenticate documents, symbolizing the official endorsement of tradition, reliability, and assurance. For labels printed entirely in black and white only, a black-and-white version of the same seal may be used.
For products certified as “Invecchiato” (Aged), which, in accordance with the production regulations, have remained in wooden casks for more than three years, the label may be supplemented by adding the corresponding designation in the dedicated space at the bottom.
Similarly, for “Riserva” products, which have spent more than five years aging in wood, a version of the label featuring the corresponding designation is available.
Reading all the graphic and descriptive elements contained in the label together provides an initial description of the product’s main characteristics. In particular, it gives an immediate understanding of the level of “body” or consistency (light, medium, full-bodied), and therefore of the product’s density and roundness, as well as whether its sensory profile tends to be more “tart” or “sweet,” with the corresponding greater firmness or smoothness perceived on the palate and in the aftertaste.
Each category corresponds to a specific and detailed sensory profile, which can be described using different descriptors and aromas. Please find attached (Annex 2 – Sensory profiles): a series of fact sheets providing sensory analysis tools that illustrate in detail the organoleptic characteristics corresponding to the different segments.
The ultimate purpose of the “Consortium Profile” system is to answer some of the basic questions consumers ask themselves when purchasing Aceto Balsamico di Modena and, in doing so, meet their primary need: to find their way towards a product that matches their needs, preferences, and tastes. The use of the “Consortium Profile” seal on product packaging helps prevent confusion, unmet expectations, and disappointment, ensuring the satisfaction that comes with a successful purchase, while giving consumers greater confidence in understanding the information and a deeper awareness of this exquisite product.
This attachment (Annex 3 – FAQ) contains the most frequently asked questions, with the relative answers.
