This youngster is oh so much more versatile than any balsamic made with wine vinegar, regardless of its age, or price. As they will tell you at La Vecchia Dispensa, creating a young, versatile balsamic, with the right balance of acidity and sweetness is an art, and the art is in the blending – without using any wine vinegar of course. The right amounts of old balsamics with their sweet flavor profiles and young, feisty balsamics with lots of acidity. That is exactly what they've done here. Their Black Seal is known as 6-Year here in the USA to give you a feel for the age of some of the balsamics used for the blend. It has a fruitier palate than their 10-Year, and it isn't as dry on the finish. It does exhibit a nice level of complexity, and the acid on the finish leaves the mouth with a nice crispness that is perfect for salads and for cooking. It is an excellent introduction point into the world of balsamics. Balsamic vinegar takes centre stage in the output of LA VECCHIA DISPENSA since the company considers it the resulting jewel of its labors. It is still made in the traditional way, by fermenting the must of Trebbiano grapes in barrels of costly woods - oak, mulberry, chestnut, cherry and juniper - which over the years gradually give the vinegar its inimitable fragrance and flavour. The process continues with simple but clearly defined procedures that must be carried out in exactly the right sequence, at the best times and in the best places. However, skilled vinegar makers have their own secrets, handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation. The ageing process gives balsamic vinegar the characteristics that make it truly unique. Experience has shown that authentic balsamics should always be the last ingredient added to any dish, except of course when it is used to season salads.