Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI – 5 Medals

Aldo Mussini 5 Medals, a dense balsamic vinegar from Modena

The Aldo Mussini 5 Medals is a dark, syrup-thick Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP from Acetaia Mussini, named after a family ancestor. Sweet and sour, with notes of plum and vanilla, in elegant packaging – not a thin supermarket vinegar, but a gift for connoisseurs.

Aceto Balsamico di Modena in its densest form: The Aldo Mussini 5 Medals from Acetaia Mussini combines slowly reduced grape must from local grape varieties with a small proportion of high-quality wine vinegar. The IGP designation guarantees its protected origin from Modena, the density of 1.35 allows it to flow from a spoon like syrup, and the name Aldo is a tribute to one of the fathers of the Mussini family. Its depth is surprising every single time.

Dense, dark, and glossy in the glass

In the glass, the 5 Medals appears deep dark and shimmering; it pours thick from the spoon and clings to the rim. Even as you open the bottle, you are met with ripe plum, a hint of vanilla, and behind that, the warm, complex sweetness of the reduced must.

On the spoon, it plays sweet and sour at the same time: full-bodied, profound, and long-lasting. The six percent acidity keeps it vibrant, ensuring the sweetness never becomes heavy. This is how an Aceto Balsamico di Modena tastes, just as the region has understood it for generations – dense enough to cling to a piece of Parmesan.

With aged cheese, caviar, or braised roasts

A few drops are all it takes: over grilled vegetables, braised roasts, grilled fish, shrimp, or crustaceans, the 5 Medals leaves its dark, glossy trail. It pairs just as well with bold flavors as it does with delicate ones.

We drizzle it over aged Parmesan, omelets, or caviar, and it also makes for a fine digestif after a meal. It is a delightful surprise over fruit salad, ripe strawberries, or simple vanilla ice cream. In its presentation box, it makes for a welcome gift – just like the award-winning Il Denso Aceto Balsamico or the light Condimento Bianco from the same producer.

Giorgio, Gabriele, and 15,000 barrels in Magreta

Acetaia Mussini is a family-run vinegar manufacturer in Magreta near Modena, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna. Back in 1909, the mothers and grandmothers of the family boiled their first grape must into balsamic, carefully over an open fire, patiently over the years. To this day, the must comes from local vines – Trebbiano, Lambrusco, and Ancellotta grown between the Secchia and Panaro rivers.

About a hundred years later, cousins Giorgio and Gabriele turned their backs on the world of ceramics and founded today’s manufactory in 2001 to breathe life back into their grandmothers' old barrels. Today, they watch over some 15,000 wooden barrels of varying sizes: as the liquid evaporates through the wood over the years, the longer the must rests, the denser and deeper the aceto becomes. Their proprietary 5 Medals seal stands for their highest standard. Well deserved.

With aged cheese and good bread

The 5 Medals should remain raw and be added only at the very end, drizzled over the finished dish just before serving so that its aroma is not cooked away. With a piece of aged cheese and some good bread – a lovely evening needs little more. Those who wish to delve deeper will find the entire world of Acetaia Mussini and other Aceto Balsamico in our shop.