The centuries-old traditions of the Modenese balsamic vinegar makers are alive and flourishing in the attics of Castlevetro.

Nothing pleases Mario Pelloni, the man considered by many Italians as the master Balsamic vinegar producer, more than to have people come away from sampling his creation with a look of rapture on their faces. Unlike wine, vinegar is not a high-profile product and few people ever acknowledge the work required to make a truly outstanding example. Yet this is exactly what Signor Pelloni has achieved.

As a young boy in Castlevetro, a town perched upon a hillock just south of Modena in northern Italy, Mario Pelloni was made privy to the family secret for making the tangy, aromatic balsamic vinegar which today brings clients from as far afield as the United States and Australia to his attic door.

"It has always been a tradition of the Modenese people that each family make its own balsamic vinegar", Signor Pelloni explains. "The nobility especially made a point of having vinegar batteries in the attics of their villas and castles. This tradition is steeped in culture and reflects the concern of the Modenese people for always eating the very best foods. The best food, they realised ought also have the best condiment, and the best condiment was that which was made from the very best raw product Nature herself provides - grapes. It is from grapes that we derived our wines, and from grapes too that we derived the secret for making our now famous balsamic vinegar".