History traces the first mention of balsamic vinegar back to 1046, when the Holy Roman Emperor Henry III was given a bottle while passing through the Emilia-Romagna region on his way to a coronation.  Traditional balsamic vinegar is always only made in Reggio Emilia and Modena, Italy, using traditional methods and production is overseen from beginning to end by a special government certifying agency.  The process takes a minimum of 12 years and produces a product with the complex character of mature wine.