chipgreen wrote:Behold, the Holy Grail!

No, no, there's a beer for that The actual Grail

Remember, Florida strawberries will be available in Feb., so save some for them.

WD/woot/et al,
Please put the nutrition label info up in the stats section for any food item, or at least a photo that includes the label so we can read it.

But since you're probably not going to do that for this offer, please list all the data here.

Thanks.

Drizzle a bit on boring vegetables like green beans. Instantly you are an incredible cook.

A couple years back this piqued my curiosity, so I went to Zingermans for a variety of balsamic a including some very high end stuff. This is still my favorite.

So this isn't the real quality stuff...it IS better than the stuff you'd buy at a supermarket, but this is specifically made as a cheaper product. "Real" Balsamico is aged at least 12 years.

I'm not saying that this won't be better than just about any stuff you might normally buy, but don't be fooled into thinking this is a top shelf product.

$40 for a half pint? Like those milk cartons we used to get in school? How can it be that good?

This is truly delicious. Not even remotely similar to the 'Balsamic vinegar' you get at grocery stores.

My most successful dish with this is panna cotta topped with a strawberry/balsamic compote. Great hit at a dinner party!

For the compote: I cut the strayberries into 1/4th wedges after removing the ends, then drizzled some of this balsamic over them, very gently tossed to coat and let sit for ~10 minutes or so.

Just trying to decide if I want another bottle as a spare, as I rather sparingly have been working through my first... probably worth it.

Finally, something that ships to Virginia.

When will our legislators realize that they have left a Balsamic loophole in the law and craft something to protect the lucrative Virgina vinegar industry?

I can not believe I just spent $40 on a bottle of vinegar. :-o

I'm taking you all on your word that this stuff is wonderful.

WANT. Why did this have to come up just before payday? Woot is taunting me.

I was first introduced to good balsamic about 15 years ago as a drizzle on an amazing mushroom pasta dish. I have been known to reduce the cheeper stuff to a sauce, adding sugar, when I can't afford the good kind. Fabulous on sreawberries and/or ice cream! I haven't had this brand, but I so want to give it a try!

legotech wrote:So this isn't the real quality stuff...it IS better than the stuff you'd buy at a supermarket, but this is specifically made as a cheaper product. "Real" Balsamico is aged at least 12 years.

I'm not saying that this won't be better than just about any stuff you might normally buy, but don't be fooled into thinking this is a top shelf product.

Yup. This is not the really good stuff. I haven't tried this yet but I am very fond of the cheaper gold label stuff at Trader Joe's. I wonder what the difference is.

[quote postid="5258352" user="chipgreen"]Behold, the Holy Grail!

And so it is, finally, on this day, that I checked woot early enough to find the yellow button in tact.

I love balsamic and can't wait to see how this compares to the 25yr I keep around for, well, everything including ice cream. There will be no losers that day.

C-c-c-c-combo Breaker!

mschauber wrote:WD/woot/et al,
Please put the nutrition label info up in the stats section for any food item, or at least a photo that includes the label so we can read it.

Yes, this ^. Thank you!

legotech wrote:So this isn't the real quality stuff...it IS better than the stuff you'd buy at a supermarket, but this is specifically made as a cheaper product. "Real" Balsamico is aged at least 12 years.

I'm not saying that this won't be better than just about any stuff you might normally buy, but don't be fooled into thinking this is a top shelf product.

Hopefully some from Casa di Case gets on. You are correct. He let a few bottles of real balasamic go at wholesale. 1 oz for $80, IIRC. It is better, but not enough for me. This stuff tasted almost as good to me, and much better price.

Better get in my order.

WD - thanks for getting this together before Christmas. We appreciate it. And you won't have the multiple posts during gift week begging for it.

So very very good. This will be my third bottle. I end up consuming most of it straight from the bottle.
Buy it, you won't regret it.

This may very well be a very nice vinegar, but don't think for a minute that this is the justly renowned Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale: it's to cheap; you don't find the real thing at this price. It's not the right name or bottle or age. The real stuff is ALWAYS labeled Aceto Balsamico TRADIZIONALE--by law!--and comes in a unique bottle shaped like the Florence flask used in chem labs. Every producer of the real thing uses the same bottle, no one else can--by law. The real stuff is never sold at less than 25 years of age.

After seeing all the above and beyond positive comments, I picked one up to see what all the fuss is about and I have a feeling I wont be sorry!

I've passed this one up far too many times now. In for two!

Love this - even if it's not "the real stuff". The box and pouring cork make it a great presentation for gifting. The receiver will definitely appreciate it!

This is a must buy for me everytime it comes up on woot, in for two.

Freakin Sweet. I was running perilously low... in for two! :D

It is good stuff - as you can see most are buying 2 bottles - the max for this purchase - and 90% over 1 year members. The people who know are grabbing more

This will be the first year we dont buy it. Hopefully it will sell out quickly so I wont be tempted

We had a lot of traveling to do this year and so didn't get to cook much at home, so we still have 2 bottles.

polarbear22 wrote:Hopefully some from Casa di Case gets on. You are correct. He let a few bottles of real balasamic go at wholesale. 1 oz for $80, IIRC. It is better, but not enough for me. This stuff tasted almost as good to me, and much better price.

I found the same thing. The traditionale was better, but I am not sure it was 30 dollars better. The gap between the traditionale and this one is much smaller than the gap between this and what you buy at trader joes.
The gap between this and grocery store balsamic is more like a vast gulf, almost like it is not even the same thing.

This is some great stuff! I still have my bottles from the last offering because I'm rationing them ;)

Whats with the price increase on a lot of previous item offerings? Last time it was for $34.99. Stupid inflation.

legotech wrote:...I'm not saying that this won't be better than just about any stuff you might normally buy, but don't be fooled into thinking this is a top shelf product.

2 comments for you:

1) Have you tried it and/or compared it against 12 year balsamic? If not, you should state this before providing your (somewhat flawed) observation.

2) You suggest that this is not a "top shelf product" which, in my opinion is a flawed comment. This is a "top shelf product" that has simply been aged for 7-years (vs 12 or 25). In wine terms, would you suggest a 1996 Screaming Eagle is not a "top shelf product" but a bottle of 1991 Screaming Eagle is "top shelf".

jeffandmonica wrote:$40 for a half pint? Like those milk cartons we used to get in school? How can it be that good?

I passed on earlier offers too, wondering the same thing. Finally caved last time around and got two. I'll not be making that mistake again any time soon; two again.
It really is that good.

Two days in a root, Woot has read my mind!!! This stuff is the freakin bomb!!! Still haven't been brave enough to pour a little on ice cream, but I've made some of the best balsamic galzes ever with this stuff. In for another 1!!!

I bought of some this last year (which was actually this year) for the first time. It is quite good and if you picture balsamic as something you find at a regular grocery store, this is absolutely nothing like it. I bought two last time and still have a full one and 2/3rd of the second one. We use it very sparingly and actually haven't even tried it for the two uses that people rave about, ice cream and strawberries. I like to add a little with oil and herbs for dipping bread and the wife likes to use it for a caprese salad.

The one thing that really surprised me when I first received this in the mail, was how small the bottle was. This bottle is tiny, but a little bit goes a very long ways.

Good stuff. For me it is hard to justify, even at this price, but thankfully I don't have to make that decision since I still have plenty left.

In for 2!!! can't pass this up, especially with the holidays around the corner! And yes, although it is weird, on vanilla ice cream it is surprisingly fabulous!!!

What do you mean I am all out of money? I still have all these checks left!!!!

That being said I am in for 2 even though I still have 2 1/2 left. These are great and will make wonderful gifts to some special friends.

Two heading my way--we'll see how many are gifted. I've served vanilla bean ice cream with a drizzle of this and a sprinkling of Brandini toppers to rave reviews!
Cheers!

Last Wooter to Woot:cynthylee

I purchased a couple of these last year for Christmas presents. On Christmas day when presents were opened I was surprised to see my Mother had a different gift...my wife had gone out and purchased it to replace this Balsamic so she could stash the bottle!

jeffandmonica wrote:$40 for a half pint? Like those milk cartons we used to get in school? How can it be that good?

It's that good.

In for two based on the comments/reviews here.

mudderfudder77 wrote:In for two based on the comments/reviews here.

agreed, one for me, one for my mom.

It might be good, but I get 18 yr. old true italian balsamico from a local olive oil store for $25/500ml. I'm outta here.

Well it can be true that Cavedoni produces tradizionale balsamic vinegars, but the Botte Piccola is not 100% grape must, some vinegar is added and it is aged for only seven years instead of the minimum 12 required for consortium certification. The label shows cooked grape must as the first ingredient, wine vinegar is the second ingredient.

Now you have to understand that this stuff is awesome for the price you pay, of course there is better quality with more aging, but if you want to get the best of the best, well you have to pay for the luxury. At this price point this is a luxury product above the supermarket cheap balsamic, from here you can just go up.

EXTRA INFO:

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (Aceto Balsamico di Modena), is a modern imitation of the traditional product.
Only two consortia produce true traditional balsamic vinegar, Modena and Reggio Emilia. True balsamic vinegar is made from a reduction of pressed Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes. The resulting thick syrup, called mosto cotto in Italian, is subsequently aged for a minimum of 12 years in a battery of seven barrels of successively smaller sizes(Just in case that is the Solera process). The casks are made of different woods like chestnut, acacia, cherry, oak, mulberry, ash, and, in the past, juniper. True balsamic vinegar is rich, glossy, deep brown in color and has a complex flavour that balances the natural sweet and sour elements of the cooked grape juice with hints of wood from the casks.

Reggio Emilia designates the different ages of their balsamic vinegar (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia) by label colour. A red label means the vinegar has been aged for at least 12 years, a silver label that the vinegar has aged for at least 18 years and a gold label that designates the vinegar has aged for 25 years or more.

Modena uses a different system to indicate the age of its balsamic vinegars (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena). A cream-coloured cap means the vinegar has aged for at least 12 years and a magenta cap bearing the designation extravecchio (extra old) shows the vinegar has aged for 25 years or more.