This popular vinegar with the characteristic black color is made by the reduction and aging of the juice of the white trebbiano grape. It is usually aged in wooden barrels for at least 12 years, sometimes for as long 40 years. It can be used in salads or added to grilled meats and sauces. A touch of balsamic vinegar on sliced strawberries produces an exceptionally pleasing flavor. Most common balsamic vinegars nowadays are not pure in the sense that they are not aged for a long period of time and they get their colors from added ingredients.