Balsamic vinegar (Italian: aceto balsamico) is a dark, concentrated, pungent, intensely flavoured vinegar made wholly or partially from grape must: freshly crushed grape juice with all the skins, seeds, and stems.

The Italian word balsamico (from Latin balsamum, from Greek βάλσαμον, bálsamon) means 'balsam-like' in the sense of "restorative" or "curative"; cf. English 'balm'. Ultimately from Ancient Hebrew-Phoenician בשׂם (bāśām or besem, IPA [baːˈɬaːm]), the name means 'perfume or spice', with the consonant sequence of the letter 'λ' and 'σ' deriving from Ancient Greek to pronounce the שׂ (ś) sound, sounding back then as [ɬ].^{[full citation needed]}

The term balsamico in "balsamic vinegar" originates from the Latin word balsamum and the Greek word βάλσαμον, both conveying the idea of something "restorative" or "curative". The practice of cooking grapes can be traced back to ancient Roman times, where it was valued both as a medicinal remedy and a sweetener or condiment in cooking. The story of balsamic vinegar began in the 11th century in the city of Modena; by 1046, it was already gaining a wider reputation. The future Holy Roman Emperor, King Henry III, requested Marquis Bonifacio of Canossa to craft a high quality vinegar in his castle. By the late 1200s, vinegar production flourished at the Este Court in Modena, with the term balsamic first recorded in 1747 in the ledgers of the Este family cellars.^{[citation needed]}

In the second half of the 19th century, the provinces of Emilia joined the newly-formed Kingdom of Italy, and balsamic vinegar of Modena was promoted at national and international exhibitions. While aristocratic families cultivated a refined balsamic tradition, local peasant families began to blend it with wine vinegar, creating a lighter version for everyday use.^{[citation needed]}

This practice eventually led to the creation of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI and widespread distribution across the world. Historically, in the area of Modena and Reggio, the vinegars produced in the houses were made more pleasant by flavouring them with herbs, liquorice, rosemary, roses, vanilla, or by producing them with different raw materials (trebbiano, moscato...) or procedures, creating over the centuries a widespread fame for "Modena-style vinegars".

In 1747, in the registers of the cellars of the Ducal Palace of Modena, located in Rubiera, the adjective "balsamic" appeared for the first time, to distinguish a particular type from the many others present in the palace. In 1830 this definition was further refined, so that the vinegars present at the Court were divided into "balsamic", "semi-balsamic", "fine", and "common".^{[citation needed]}

With the birth of the Italian state in 1860, the awakening of the markets gradually aroused more interest in balsamic vinegar, and considerable historical and bibliographical research was carried out on this product. At the end of the 19th century, the balsamic vinegar of Modena began to appear at exhibitions, creating great interest locally and internationally.^{[citation needed]}

From a regulatory point of view, the first ministerial authorization to produce "balsamic vinegar of Modena" dates back to 1933. After World War II, the economic boom led some producers, such as Telesforo Fini and the Monari-Federzoni family, to market a different product under the name "balsamic vinegar", which was a mix with wine vinegar for daily use. This made balsamic vinegar common on Italian tables and began its spread to foreign countries.