Acetaia Leonardi Dante Balsamic Vinegar IGP

Dante Aceto Balsamico—from renowned balsamic producer, Acetaia Leonardi—is made from a cooked grape must blended with a touch of red wine vinegar and aged for a minimum of 12 years. This well-balanced Italian condiment has a thick, syrup-like consistency with nuanced aromas of dried figs, prunes and fresh cherries, and a bright, lively finish.

These two exquisite vinegars honor the story of Dante and Beatrice—which, like many a tale of unrequited love, was made immortal by art. Dante, the Florentine poet, first glimpsed the beautiful Beatrice when she was eight and he, nine. He was instantly smitten. She greeted him briefly on a street nine years later, wearing a white gown. Both married others at age 21, and three years later, Beatrice died. Dante was devastated. Tormented by the loss, he featured her in his greatest works, including The Divine Comedy, in which—at his own imagined death—Beatrice leads him to beatific vision.

In these vinegars, Dante—most often depicted wearing a dark or crimson robe and cap—is represented by the dark balsamic vinegar; Beatrice—immortal in her white gown—is represented by the white balsamic.