FIORE Artisan Olive Oils & Vinegars

Featuring Extra Virgin Olive Oils and Aged Balsamic Vinegars

With its roots firmly planted in tradition, FIORE Artisan Olive Oils & Vinegars has forged a new image of the modern artisan.

From a true respect for the olive tree to the insistence on quality and authenticity, FIORE's extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) offers transparency and purity for the consumer who respects the harmony of nature and nutrition.

FIORE features in-store tasting rooms offering a wide selection of Extra Virgin Olive Oil from around the world and Aged Balsamic Vinegar from Modena, Italy.

Extra Virgin Olive Oils

To ensure ultimate freshness, FIORE “chases the crush” ensuring a constant supply of the freshest EVOO available from regions growing, harvesting and crushing olives each season.

FIORE and its importers partner with growers in Northern and Southern Hemispheres to identify the latest harvests. Each harvest is analyzed to ensure the consistency of quality and freshness year after year. Once harvested, these oils are available to FIORE and our customers within weeks.

The overemphasis on “Where” EVOO is produced continues to dominate perceptions at the expense of the more important “When, What and How” the oil is produced. The principle barometers of the IOC standard are Chemistry and Freshness. These two variables can be objectively measured and quantified. Since the highest quality EVOO comes from high quality fruit coupled with high quality production processes, the IOC standard encompasses strict requirements for not only the end product but the entire cycle of growth, harvesting and production.

Freshness is the key to quality. When an EVOO is fresh there are significantly more positive sensory attributes detectable by the palate. As any oil ages it oxidizes and loses positive sensory qualities as well as inheriting defects. New testing methods known as the “Fresh Pack” tests objectively quantify Diacylglycerol Content (DAGS) and Pyropheophytins (PPP) the key indicators of freshness of the oil throughout its lifecycle.

Balsamic Vinegars of Modena

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, IGP, Traditional Style Balsamic Condimento and White Balsamic Condimento

FIORE sources all of our balsamic vinegars from producers in Modena, Italy, the historic “center of the universe” for the production of these products.

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, IGP (Protected Geographic Indication) – This certified product must follow strict standards of production; Trebbiano grapes, traditionally used to produce this product must be grown, harvested and pressed into juice, then cooked and aged in Modena. The aged cooked grape must is then blended with high quality aged Italian red wine vinegar – the ratio of aged cooked grape must to aged Italian red wine vinegar is 35% to 65%. These are then aged together for several months in large wooden vats in Modena. The certified IGP product has a resulting acidity of 6%.

Traditional Style Balsamic Condimento is a variation on the IGP product, wherein a more concentrated, cooked Trebbiano grape must is blended with aged Italian red wine vinegar and then aged together for several months with a resulting acidity of 4% and a slightly higher viscosity than IGP. This is a product which is produced for the northern European and North American markets, who often prefer less acidity than the IGP. Infusions of flavor using natural extract or pureed whole fruit are offered.

White Balsamic Condimento in this category are produced by combining concentrated, rectified Trebbiano grape must with white or rose wine vinegar. The grape must is rectified to minimize discoloration. The combination is not aged and yields a 5% acidity for a fresh crisp flavor. Natural fruit extract and fruit puree are used to infuse flavors to the white condimento. The white condimento is often used when the color of white sauces or foods will be adversely affected by the dark brown color of traditional balsamic vinegar. The flavors are light and bright and can be mixed with your favorite sparkling or still water, Champagne or Prosecco for a refreshing beverage. They always bring life to summer salads!

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, DOP

Benefitting from a close personal relationship with the source, FIORE is proud to offer Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, DOP (ABTM). For this certification, the Trebbiano grapes are cultivated, harvested and crushed at the Villa San Donnino in the autumn of each year. The grape juice is cooked; simmered, never boiled for 30 hours. The cooked grape must is stored in large stainless steel tanks or large wooden mother barrels until mid-winter. At this time of year, the “traverso” or transfer takes place in the attics of the Villa. A batteria is a set of five wooden barrels of descending volume from 50 liters to 10 liters into which the cooked grape must is poured. Each subsequent year, the barrels are topped off beginning with the small barrel from the second, the second from the third and so on. The cooked grape must from the previous harvest is then added to the large barrel. This process repeats each year until the 12^th year when prior to topping off, 10% of the volume from the smallest barrel is removed and brought to the Consortium for analysis and certification. At the 12th year it is bottled and designated Affinato; at the 25th year, the decanted vinegar is designated Extra Vecchio, once it is Consortium certified. A very unique classification is Riserva Oro, which is aged over 100 years dating to the first production by the Villa San Donnino. Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, DOP is the treasure of Modena, highly regarded by balsamic afficionados worldwide and now available for you to “Come In And Taste For Yourself!” at FIORE.

Our Commitment

From the fruit to the bottle, FIORE maximizes the authenticity of its products by limiting transport and air contamination. By hosting Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Aged Balsamic Vinegars in large stainless steel fusti throughout the stores, the FIORE tasting rooms offer samplings of exact product for bottling. This allows the consumer the ability to craft unique blends of extra virgin olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars to their desired tastes. The oils and vinegars are then individually bottled and sealed on-site for purchase.

The mission of FIORE is to provide you, our consumer, with the freshest - highest quality - authentic - hard to find - specialty oils, vinegars and specialty foods, with excellent personal service in a pleasant educational atmosphere, all wrapped in the warm feel of an Old-World Shop.

FIORE Artisan Olive Oils & Vinegars — “Come In And Taste For Yourself!”