Monari Federzoni: Women-Made Balsamic

Monari Federzoni balsamico

Making balsamic vinegar has long been matriarchal. Mothers would start a batch for their newborn daughter, aging it until their wedding day — to be given away as a dowry. Even though family dynamics have changed over the past 100+ years, there are few women at the forefront of balsamico, and the Monari Federzoni family a shining example, ushering heritage and contemporary endeavors to a new generation.

Licenza

On January 12th, 1912, Elena Monari became the first woman in Modena, Italy to commercially secure an official license to sell homemade balsamico in her family’s shop, the same that they served in their adjoining osteria, the beginnings of turning baslamico into the family business.

Monari Federzoni barrels

Post World War II, Monari Federzoni began exporting internationally (they now ship to over 50 countries across the globe). In the 1950s, in order to keep up with demand, they moved the company to a larger cellar still within Modena’s city limits. In the 1970s they began a campaign in the United States spreading their “made in Italy” moniker — the small city of Modena was suddenly a cosmopolitan phenomenon.

Monari Federzoni acetaia

In the 1980s the production facilities relocated from downtown Modena to the countryside of Solara di Bomporto, cultivating over 100 hectares of vineyards of grape varieties like Lambrusco, Trebbiano, Ancellotta and Albana around the acetaia. Nowadays, their cellar contains over 5,500 oak barrels maturing balsamic vinegar and making them the largest wooden aging facility in the world.

Sabrina

Since 2000, Sabrina Federzoni, who is the 4th generation in the balsamic business, took the reins of  the company earning a Women-Owned Certification from WeConnect International in 2024. Today Monari Federzoni is the largest producer of aged balsamic vinegar in Modena. Sabrina has helped make sustainability the core of Monari Federzoni’s mission reinforcing ethical, safe, and sustainable production standards, making them the first Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP made with 100% sustainable grapes.

While Monari Federzoni produces a wide range of balsamic vinegars – from traditional DOPs to more modern glazes—there are two flagship balsamics that aren't just part of the brand, but are pillars of the legacy that Elena Monari established.

In 2024, the company released its ELENA1912 Premium Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, a tribute to Elena Monari’s vision of depth and grace. This bottling was awarded a gold medal in the 2025 USI Vinegar Competition. This PGI is velvety, with warm wood tones (aged at least 3 years in barrel) and a beautifully balanced finish. It’s elegant and harmonious, with subtle hints of sweet spice.

Its ELSA Fondo Carrate won the coveted double gold at last year’s USI. An expression of Acetaia Elsa, the original vinegar brewery anchoring the 50-year old agricultural estate, a product of terroir further telling the story of Elena Monari’s central mission: to spread the love of balsamico through family. A little more tart than ELENA1912, but equally as complex, it’s rich and thick, aged 12 years in barrel, with sweet toasted spice notes. Perfect for aged cheeses, cured meats and creamy risotto, not to mention atop gelato.

Even as Monari Federzoni has garnered  worldwide recognition and appeal, it still honors its roots in every bottle of balsamico, inviting you to try some as if you’re part of the family.