One of Modena’s longest-established companies and the first Balsamic Vinegar producer to register with its Chamber of Commerce, “Aceto Balsamico del Duca” dates from the late Nineteenth Century: it was in 1891 that the founder Adriano Grosoli opened his Premiata salumeria, a fine food store selling specialities including Balsamic Vinegar. The business immediately gained a reputation for the quality of its products, confirmed as long ago as 1927 at the International Exhibition in Genoa, when it was awarded the “Diploma di Gran Premio e Medaglia d’Oro per la speciale lavorazione di prodotti tradizionali” (“Grand Prix and Gold Medal for the special processing of traditional products”).
The years went by, and the fame of Adriano Grosoli’s Premiata Salumeria continued to increase. Gradually, the idea of expanding production of Balsamic Vinegar, the family’s dearest passion, came to fruition. Together with his wife Luciana, Adriano – grandson and namesake of the founder – decided to change the brand name to “Aceto Balsamico del Duca” and to label the product with the portrait of Duke Francesco I d’Este, one of the most famous, dedicated producers of the highly esteemed balsamo so much in vogue at the Este Court.
Today, the company draws on the experience of four generations and faithfully follows the original family recipes to offer a product of excellence, popular all over the world. Adriano’s daughters Mariangela and Alessandra joined their father at the helm in 1980, and they have led the business through a period of impressive expansion and grown its prestige on the export markets.
Aceto Balsamico del Duca is still based in Spilamberto, the native town of Balsamic Vinegar, at its historic site where the priceless Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena PDO is aged in more than 600 casks in an old brickworks built around the year 1600. 1992 saw the opening of a new plant, further expanded between 2004 and 2008, which houses the large oak casks used to mature the Aceto Balsamico di Modena PGI, and the elegant showroom where retail sales are also made.
Its flagship products that place the company amongst the leaders in the production of quality Balsamic Vinegar include its Organic vinegar, a product which it pioneered, its “Solo Modena”, an all-local Balsamic Vinegar made only from grapes grown in the Province of Modena, which received the Provincial Council’s 2009-2010 Corporate Social Responsibility Award and its “dal 1891” luxury line, created by skilfully reworking an original recipe initially used by the firm’s founder, Adriano Grosoli.
