Vinegar gets treated as an afterthought in most kitchens — a basic acidic component used to brighten sauces and dress salads. The vinegars here are a different proposition: barrel-aged Italian balsamics with decades of complexity, single-variety Spanish wine vinegars with cleanly defined character, and a yuzu condiment vinegar that does things ordinary vinegar can't.
These are finishing condiments. A few drops do more than a full pour of something generic.
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is one of Italy's most protected food products — a PGI designation covering vinegars produced in the Modena and Reggio Emilia provinces from specific grape varieties, aged in wooden barrels. Within that designation sits a spectrum that runs from young, everyday condiments through to DOP tradizionale aged for 12 or 25 years — products that bear almost no resemblance to one another beyond the name.
The PGM range here covers that spectrum.
1 Crown
A young condiment for everyday use. Salad dressings, marinades, deglazing, glazes.
3 Crown
More body and balance. A step up for finishing roasted vegetables or drizzling over a tomato salad.
7 Crown
Concentrated and syrupy. Drizzle over Parmigiano, fresh strawberries, vanilla ice cream, or grilled meats.
DOP Tradizionale 12yr and 25yr
Not cooking vinegars. The 12-year carries the official affinato designation; the 25-year is extravecchio. Both have spent decades in wooden barrels developing the layered sweetness, density and aromatic complexity that defines authentic traditional balsamic. Use them by the drop — over aged Parmigiano, fresh fruit, or simply on their own from a small spoon. Heat destroys what years of ageing created.
The difference between a "balsamic condiment" (wine vinegar coloured with caramel) and a barrel-aged DOP tradizionale is not subtle. They are different products that happen to share part of a name.
OMED Wine & Fruit Vinegars
Single-variety Andalusian vinegars made from the grape or fruit they're named after, with cleaner, more defined flavour than generic wine vinegar.
Chardonnay
Bright, crisp, clean. The default for vinaigrettes where you want acidity without flavour interference.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Fuller-bodied, red fruit character. Good for richer dressings, deglazing red meat sauces, or finishing braised dishes.
Pedro Ximénez
Naturally sweet from the PX grape. Useful anywhere you'd reach for a young balsamic; particularly good with foie gras, blue cheese, or roasted root vegetables.
Yuzu Condiment Vinegar
Yuzu-led, citrus complexity. A finishing acid on raw fish, in ponzu-style dressings, or with delicate vegetables and seafood.
Cooking vs. Finishing
Young vinegars (1–3 crown balsamic, OMED Chardonnay or Cabernet) handle cooking — deglazing, marinades, vinaigrettes, glazes. Aged vinegars should never be cooked. Heat destroys the complexity developed through years of barrel ageing. Use aged balsamic the way you'd use fine wine — raw, where the character remains intact.
Storage
Vinegar is acidic and stores more forgivingly than oil. Sealed bottles keep indefinitely. Once opened, store cool, out of direct sunlight. The vinegar won't spoil, but prolonged exposure to air can dull complexity in the most aged products. For DOP tradizionale, treat the bottle like fine wine.
Delivery
Next-working-day UK courier — or choose your preferred delivery date at checkout. Orders before 2pm dispatch same day. Free weekday delivery over £225.
