Produced by La Vecchia Dispensa in Castelvetro di Modena, Italy

Balsamic reductions have become very fashionable in recent years, but they are often too sweet and sticky, made by rapidly boiling the balsamic down to a thick glaze. The Vecchia Dispensa Ricco is no such thing, however. Made from an eight year vinegar naturally thickened within Slovenian oak barrels in the family's attics over the hot summer months, it is useful for dripping over a finished meal to add little bursts of flavour, and looks decorative, too.