Il Borgo del Balsamico
Category: Hotels
Location: Albinea, Italy
Emilia Romagna is the culinary heart of Italy. Its capital Bologna, though famous for its cuisine, is not a town of great hotels. Instead, if you plan on visiting this region we recommend that you stay slightly outside the city centre, at Il Borgo Del Balsamico, which combines a relaxed and informal attitude with an atmosphere of old-world splendour.
This B&B and aceto balsamico producer is owned and operated by two sisters, Cristina and Silvia Crotti. They had already worked together for many years, in their father’s business, when they decided to turn the family’s homespun balsamic vinegar into a viable craft business.
The B&B is in every sense a slow kind of place, where people come to unwind, relax, and enjoy the local cuisine.
There are only nine rooms, all surrounded by a large garden which also includes an outdoor swimming pool (and a chicken coop). This is a place where time seems to stand still, even though it also has all modern amenities one could wish for.
The location feels secluded, though it’s only a few minutes by car from the town centre. There is not much to do, which translates into this being the perfect place for taking a nap, going for a stroll in the rose garden, visiting the chickens, or simply lounging by the pool with a book.
Breakfast is served in the old barn and includes (very locally sourced) eggs and other culinary treats particular for Emilia Romagna.
A fundamental part of staying here is taking part in a balsam vinegar tasting (similar to a wine tasting, but with less of a headache afterwards). Traditional balsamic vinegar has been produced for centuries in the province of Reggio Emilia (and by the Grotti family since 1970, as part of a family tradition).
At Il Borgo, it’s possible to visit the rooms where the process is occurring, and to see firsthand the more than a decade long process of producing the vinegar. It is derived from the double fermentation of cooked grape must (which was used already in the 5th millennium B.C.).
Since 2004, the Grotti sisters have offered three different types of aged balsamic vinegar – with a maturation period of 12 years, 14 years or no less than 25 years, respectively – depending on which kind of dish you are preparing. All their products contain only natural ingredients, grown and produced in Italy.
Albinea, Italy