Giuseppe Giusti
Giuseppe Giusti
Giusti have won numerous prizes (including 14 Gold Medals) over the centuries. They were the authors of the first documented recipe for the production of Balsamic Vinegar and are the custodians of the most extraordinary existing cask reserve, composed of invaluable century old barrels.
Creating an exceptional balsamic vinegar depends on the competence, experience and attention to detail and the lengthy period of aging. Proud of a know-how which has been refined over its 400 years of family history, Giusti combines both its respect for tradition with a sense of local corporate responsibility and a modern and sustainable production philosophy.
Represented today by Claudio Francesca and Luciano who lead the company today, the history of the Giusti family is inextricably linked to the local area. For centuries, the production of balsamic vinegar had an exclusively private character, within the family, and it was destined not only for private consumption but also for the most important gifts. Great importance was therefore attributed to the private acetaia, considered a substantial part of the family heritage. The master vinegar maker was a family member, someone who had learned the secrets of the discipline from when he was a child. An ancient history that still today lives on, handed down from generation to generation.
A little history
Between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Giusti Balsamic Vinegars becomes recognized throughout the world and enjoys unanimous success among the European public. Presented at the various International Exhibitions of the Belle Epoque, thanks to the initiative of Giuseppe and after him Pietro Giusti, the most important of the Giusti Balsamic vinegars, of 30, 50 and even 100 years, win numerous prestigious accolades, including 14 gold medals.
Royal Connections
The quality of Giusti Balsamic Vinegar conquered the King of Italy Vittorio Emanuele III, who granted in 1929 the title "Supplier of the Royal House of Savoy", conceding to Giusti the privilege of displaying the Royal Seal of Approval, still incorporated today on all Giusti Balsamic Vinegars.
Hidden secrets
It is in the wood of ancient barrels in which vinegar ages where the secret of balsamic has always been hidden. Acetaia Giusti is the proud guardian of the largest collection of historical barrels: in the Giusti attics there are 600 barrels from the 1700s and 1800s which are still producing Balsamic Vinegar. The older the barrel, the better the product will be, as the essences from the wood and the balsamic aromas that have matured together over the centuries are united.
The precise complexity of the ageing and the systems of ageing, organized in series of barrels of different sizes and wood types, is one of the key elements that determine the quality of the final product, together with a careful choice of selected raw materials and the system used for their slow cooking.