B.C. couple create traditional Italian balsamic vinegar here at home

Like so many other rustic foods, traditional balsamic vinegar calls Italy its home. But it was a quarter of a century ago that a pure, organic balsamic vinegar began being made in B.C.

Giordano and Marilyn Venturi started their vineyard Venturi Schulze on Cobble Hill in the early 1980s, and now have a widely recognized balsamic vinegar line.

"I was born in Modena which is the hub for traditional balsamic vinegar. But the funny thing is for the 26 years that I lived there, I never even tasted the real thing," Giordano told North by Northwest's Sheryl MacKay.

He says getting your hands on a high quality vinegar is comparable to driving a high-end luxury car.

"The Ferrari may be made seven kilometres away, but you would never think about owning one."

That all changed for Giordano when he moved to B.C. He says despite the naysayers, he attempted to start his own line of balsamic vinegar in Canada.

"It took me years and years to get it going. This was an exercise in patience."

It was with the help of a national research council grant they received that they were eventually able to set up their vineyard on Vancouver Island and produce their current line.

He says the land has proven to be optimal to create their product.

While creating a high quality product is important, Giordano's wife Marilyn says, so is starting their own tradition on Vancouver Island.

"It's not a business to make money, it's  business to follow a tradition to hand off to future generations to respect the lands."

To hear the full interview, click the audio labelled: Venturi Schulze Cooking Club.