This family has been boiling grape must into condiment since 1825
Vincotto is a sweet-and-sour condiment made from boiled-down grape must, which Gianni Calogiuri has been aging in oak barrels for over 4 years in Lizzanello near Lecce. It is complemented by fruity varieties, an 8-year-aged vinegar, and an olive oil. Not a balsamic from Modena, but Apulian tradition since 1825.
Vincotto is a dark, syrupy specialty from Apulia, the recipe for which the Calogiuri family has been guarding since 1825. The name literally states what it is: "vino cotto" means cooked wine. Late-harvest Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera grapes are used to create a condiment that tastes sweet and sour at the same time. It contains no alcohol, because the must is boiled rather than fermented.
One family, six generations, one recipe
The Calogiuris have been appearing in the records of Lizzanello, a small town south of Lecce in Salento, for around 500 years.
In 1825, Leonardo Calogiuri founded a trading house for olive oil and wine there. On the side, he would boil down grape must, initially only for his own family, following a recipe he knew from his father. What began as a household supply stayed within the family for 6 generations and never left home.
This is not uncommon in Salento. In this corner of Apulia, between olive groves and flat, stony land, provisions were passed down through generations rather than sold. Anyone who had boiled must in the cellar could also get through a lean winter, because the concentration keeps the syrup fresh for years.
That didn't change until 1993. Gianni Calogiuri decided to make his ancestors' specialty known beyond Apulia, inspired by a chef, as Gianni still tells the story today. Since then, Vincotto has been traveling to over 40 countries, and his name is on every bottle.
It is still produced at Via Leonardo Da Vinci 12, in the middle of town. Star chefs appreciate the balance of fruit, acidity, and spice, and the registered trademark is borne only by the original from Lizzanello.
Twenty-four hours of fire, four years in the barrel
The journey from the vineyard to the bottle takes years, and most of it is waiting.
At the beginning are Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera, two old Apulian grape varieties. The grapes are left to hang for a long time, drying first on the vine and then on racks until they are almost raisins. Traditionally, they were laid out on straw mats for this, but today they are wooden racks. Only then are they pressed, and the must is correspondingly sweet and viscous.
This must then boils down slowly for 24 hours, losing 4/5ths of its volume; 5 liters become one. What remains is a dark syrup containing the sweetness of an entire vintage.
Then comes the barrel. The syrup matures for over 4 years in small oak barrels, together with the old Vincotto "mother," very similar to vinegar production. The longer the wood works, the rounder the acidity and the deeper the aroma. There is no sugar, coloring, or preservative added.
That is why the label of the pure original lists exactly one ingredient, which is surprising for such a dark, dense liquid. The 80 grams of sugar per 100 grams come entirely from the grape itself.
Four varieties and an aged vinegar
Everything in the range is based on the same foundation; the distinction is only made afterward.
The Vincotto Originale is the pure form, 100 percent grape must and nothing else. It is the starting point for all others and the variety for those who want to know what this is actually about.
For the fruity variants, wine vinegar and fruit juice are added, creating an agrodolce, a sweet-and-sour condiment. The Vincotto Fig is deep and honey-sweet and pairs well with game and strong cheese. The Vincotto Raspberry is the fruitiest in the range and the best-selling one too. And the pomegranate plays brighter and fresher, especially with poultry.
The Aceto di Vincotto takes its own path. Here, the boiled-down must is combined with wine vinegar and aged for 8 years in small oak barrels until nothing tastes sharp anymore. The house also bottles it at 3 and 6 years, but it is the long maturation that makes it so dense and velvety.
All varieties are available in two sizes, 100 ml to try and 250 ml for the kitchen. Because the must is so concentrated, a teaspoon goes a long way, and even the small bottle lasts surprisingly long.
What distinguishes it from balsamic
The question comes up almost every time, and the answer lies in the list of ingredients.
An Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP consists of grape must and wine vinegar and must come from Modena or Reggio Emilia. The pure original from Lizzanello, on the other hand, contains no vinegar at all, but exclusively boiled-down must. That is why it tastes softer, sweeter, and rounder, and why it lacks the sharp edge that a young vinegar brings.
The fruity varieties and the Aceto lie in between, because wine vinegar is added there. So, anyone who is used to balsamic and is looking for something milder should reach for the original. Anyone who appreciates the acidity but wants more depth should take the long-aged Aceto.
A second difference is the origin. Modena is in the north, Lizzanello over 800 kilometers further south in the heel of the boot. Different grapes, different climate, different tradition, and you can taste it.
Where it all started in 1825
Before anyone in Lizzanello thought of Vincotto, Leonardo Calogiuri was trading in olive oil.
The oil is therefore not a side branch of the family, but its origin. To this day, the house presses in its own mill, and it does so daily so that as little time as possible passes between harvest and press.
The Affiorato extra virgin olive oil is created using a process that only a few houses still master. After cold pressing, the mash is left to stand, and the finest oil rises to the top by itself, like cream on milk. This is exactly the oil that is skimmed off, without a centrifuge and without a filter.
"Affiorare" means to surface, and that is where the name comes from. The olives of the Cellina and Ogliarola Leccese varieties are harvested by hand in November. The yield is small, the oil is correspondingly fruity, nutty, and spicy, with that fine tickle in the throat by which one recognizes fresh olives.
How to use the condiment on the plate
A few drops are enough, and they are best used raw right at the very end on the finished dish.
The syrup loves the contrast to saltiness. Over aged Pecorino or Parmigiano, its sweetness plays against the bold flavors, and even more so with blue cheese. In warm cooking, it rounds off risotto, soups, and dark sauces, and glazes roasts, duck, or roasted vegetables if you brush it on shortly before the end of the cooking time.
It can do sweet just as well. Drizzled over vanilla ice cream, yogurt, panna cotta, or fresh figs, a few drops turn into a quick dessert. In Apulia, it is traditional to dip Christmas cookies into it, and a spoonful in sparkling water makes an old-fashioned, refreshing drink.
Feel free to try it pure from the spoon, as the Apulians do. Afterward, you will know why a separate word has become established for this condiment and why balsamic tastes different in comparison.
Stored in a cool, dark place and upright, all varieties will keep for years, because the concentration preserves them on its own. You can find related products in the categories Vincotto and Saba as well as Condimento Balsamico.
