Cooked, fermented and acetified grape must

The aging of the cooked, fermented and acetified must takes place in wooden barrels of progressively increasing size.

Traditionally, the vinegar cellar is located in the attic of the house, because it needs heat in summer to mature and cold in winter for the acetic acid bacteria to stop working. It is precisely in that period of time, usually between January and March, that the product is collected from the barrels to proceed with the bottling. Simultaneously, the barrels are also refilled with the new fermented cook must of that year.

Production process:

1) After having made sure that the batteria has been running for at least 12 or 25 years, we proceed with the collection of our vinegar. We collect it only from the smallest barrel, and then must let this product be tested before the bottling takes place. Once this process is over, the quantity of product inside the barrel drops, so we proceed with the next step.

2) Where do we find the product needed to refill the barrel?

In the next barrel, which has a slighty larger capacity.

To decide how much of the product we need to transfer from one barrel to the other, we must take into account two factors: the quantity of the product which has been collected (around 30%) and the evaporation that took place in the barrel during summer.

3) The quantity of the product inside the second smallest barrel has dropped as well, so we have to refill this one too.

We then have to use the product inside the next barrel in the row to refill the second one. The quantity needed will be equal to the sum of the product that was transfered to refill the first barrel, plus the quantity that evaporated during summer.

4) We repeat the same process for all the barrels in the batteria.

5) Once we reach the largest barrel, however, there is no other barrel in the row to refill it with. Therefore, we use the cooked, fermented and acetified must of the new year, which had previously been fermenting in an even larger barrel, and refill the largest barrel in the row. 

6) Finally, we cover all the barrels in the row with a cloth. Once this is done, we must wait another year before being able to collect some more of our product!