Winner of Gold at the 2010 Great Taste Awards!

The red balsamic condiment from Borgo del Balsamico is our best seller and best loved. Part of a set of 3 balsamic condiments (together with the yellow and orange labels) the red label is aged for a minimum of 6 years and is the most exclusive of the 3. (Please read our article below on balsamic vinegars below and avoid the tricks some shops use!).

Produced with the same loving care as the traditional DOP balsamic vinegars, the red label is left to age in barrels of different types of wood to age and slowly gather their varying aromas, giving it a beautiful and complex flavour with a lovely natural density.

It is one of those very few products that gets everybody in agreement on how incredible it tastes. For sheer elegance and class, it is on a par with some of the most expensive traditional DOP balsamics at a fraction of the price. Comes in a beautiful presentation box and makes the perfect gift for anyone who loves a great taste experience.

It combines perfectly with uncooked dishes, fruit, desserts, Parmesan cheese and ice cream. To be used in drops!

Also available in a 100ml bottle.

Contains no colourants, denseners, flavourings or preservatives - only 100% pure grape must.

Learn all about the wonderful world of Balsamic Vinegar here

Winner of Gold at the 2011 Great Taste Awards

Corbezzolo is one of the rarest and most sought-after honeys in the world and when you experience its unique taste, it's easy to understand why!

Limited quantities are produced in the mountain regions of Sardinia in late Autumn when the rare Corbezzolo (Arbutus Unendo or Strawberry Tree) is in full bloom.

Its depth of flavours is incredible. It first evokes an exotic, creamy sweetness on the palate before unleashing its distinctive sparkling bitterness. Such variety make it a very versatile gourmet ingredient.

Stunning with aged cheeses, pecorino or gorgonzola. Use it to flavour dressings or marinades, try drizzling onto freshly baked pastries, fruit, ice cream or with yoghurt. It certainly ranks as one of those "must try" products!

Paté di Faggiano al Tartufo. Pheasant and black truffles have always been a winning combination and have been part of Italian and French haute cuisine for centuries. Rosalia and Piero Caruso from Castelfiorentina near Siena, came across an ancient Tuscan recipe for Pheasant and Truffle Paté, handwritten by a lady called Eugenia. They have faithfully recreated the paté with stunning results and named it Nonna Eugenia or Grandma Eugenia.

Makes a wonderful exclusive addition to any antipasto platter or tapenades. Only the finest local ingredients are used such as Pheasant and truffles from the Tuscan forests, extravirgin olive oil, white wine, Tuscan herbs and spices. An irresistible and exquisite gourmet experience!

As testimony to the quality of our Pheasant & Truffle Paté, it was awarded a double Gold at the 2011 Great Taste Awards!

Why not try out our other Game Paté and sauces in this range? Irresistibile!

Winner of Gold at the Great Taste Awards! High quality artisan pasta from Naples.

Bucatini pasta is like thick, hollow spaghetti and is perfect for rich tomato or cream sauces also excellent with olive oil based sauces as well. Try it with spicy sausage, all'Amatriciana, with mushrooms, great with shrimps and anchovies and often used instead of Spaghetti in Carbonara.

THE GRANIA PASTA RANGE

Grania have called this range of gourmet pasta Le Gemme del Vesuvio or "Vesuvius Gems". In the Volcano's shadow, a group of artisan pasta makers apply their art every day to produce a pasta which looks and tastes fabulous. Only 3 ingredients are used. The finest durum wheat, the purest water and time. Lots of it.

At Grania, they have revived an ancient Neapolitan production process which involves drawing the pasta through bronze moulds to produce a rough surface which grabs the sauce and binds to it. The pasta is then dried very slowly at low temperatures to maintain all of its natural taste and goodness.

It keeps its shape and consistency perfectly when cooking and the "al dente" moment is very forgiving in case you just miss it!

The pasta has a lovely golden yellow colour and is just another reason they call them Vesuvius Gems!

From: Naples, Campania, Italy

Testimony to the quality of Grania pasta range: Bucatini Pasta  - Winner of Gold at the Great Taste Award - The "Oscars" of gourmet food in the UK!

A premium quality Tuscan IGP Extra Virgin Olive Oil from a cooperative of small farms around San Gimignano in the heart of Tuscany. Produced from a blend of organically grown (although not certified) classic Tuscan olive varieties: Frantoio, Moraiolo and Leccino it has an incredibly low acidity level 0.2%.

Toscano IGP oils are typically crisp and full of flavour. It has a lovely golden yellow with strong green tones and a super olive fruit flavour characterised by artichoke, cardoon, with notes of almond and green leaf. The oil has a perfect balance of bitterness (bitterness is an important characteristic in a good olive oil) and nice piquant finish.

Very versatile, it is perfect for garnishing salads and vegetables, great on fish and meat or why not try drizzling it over bread before topping with some diced tomatoes, onions and garlic. Most Tuscans would have it on its own over crusty bread or with pinzimonia (raw vegetables as a starter). Delicious!

Tuscan IGP EVO oils are one of the world's favourites. Their reputation was tarnished in the 70s and 80s when cheap imitations were produced without even a sniff of Tuscan olives in them. This led to an EU decree in 1998 which gave the certification of protected origin (IGP) and each bottle has its own unique reference number. You can trace the individual bottle by inserting the code you'll find on the label here Toscano IGP tracing.

Our Tuscan IGP from Valdelsano is a Gold Winner at the 2010 Great Taste Awards!

Heaven in a jar! A rich and creamy gourmet chocolate spread made from Slitti's award winning milk chocolate and using real cocoa butter, not artificial flavourings as in other common spreads.

Andrea Slitti, Italian Chocolatier of the Year, has selected Italy's finest hazlenuts from the Langhe region in Piedmont, renowned for their sweetness and aroma, to bring a unique and delightful flavour guaranteed to delight anyone who tries it.

Try it simply spread on bread or as a delicious topping for cakes or buns. Sheer Indulgence!

Testimony to the quality of the Riccosa chocolate spread - Winner of Gold at the UKs 2010 Great Taste Awards!

Other International Awards:

2005: Gold Bar for best spreading Creams Riccosa and Gianera

2006: Gold Bar for best spreading Creams Riccosa and Gianera

2009: Gold Bar for best spreading Creams Gianera

2011: Gold Bar for best spreading Creams Gianera

The rich sweetness of Acacia honey and the wonderful, subtle earthiness of finest Umbrian Spring White truffles make a fabulous and original combination. The truffles are sliced directly into the honey. This is a classic condiment to pair especially with cheese - any cheese! Also wonderful to garnish roast meat dishes especially game and as an antipasto with cured meats.

100g - from Umbria, Italy

Learn all about Italian truffles here.

Looking for fresh truffles? Check here.

As testimony to its quality, our Truffle Honey was awarded Gold at the 2010 Great Taste Awards

Gold Winner at the 2010 Great Taste Awards!

An authentic aged balsamic vinegar from Reggio Emilia. The Red Label from Borgo del Balsamico is our best seller and best loved. Part of a set of 3 balsamic condiments (together with the yellow and orange labels) the red label is aged for a minimum of 6 years* and is the most exclusive of the 3. (Please read our article below on balsamic vinegars below and avoid the tricks some sellers use).

Produced with the same loving care as the traditional DOP balsamic vinegars, the red label is left to age in barrels of different types of wood to slowly gather their varying aromas, giving it a refined and complex flavour with a lovely natural density.

It is one of those very few products that gets everybody in agreement on how incredible it tastes. For sheer elegance and class, it is on a par with some of the most expensive traditional DOP balsamics at a fraction of the price.

It combines perfectly with uncooked dishes, fruit, desserts, Parmesan cheese and ice cream. A little goes a long way!

Available in a 100ml bottle and the beautiful 250ml gift box package.

Contains no colourants, denseners, flavourings or preservatives - only 100% pure grape must.

Learn all about the wonderful world of Balsamic Vinegar here

*Sellers will often claim e.g. "aged for 8 years". This is often a blend of very young vinegars with a little 8 year old added. Always check the minimum age!

A unique and spectacular collection of our Gold winners from the Great Taste Awards (considered the Oscars of gourmet food in the UK). It's not just our opinion when we tell you these are some of the best tasting Italian products in the country. Even the most exacting gourmet will be thrilled by this hamper. Presented in an attractive whicker basket with multi-coloured shred and covered with a decorative star cellophane wrap. Please scroll down for product details and delivery information.

Pesto Genovese with Truffle (180g) - An amazing combination. Finest green pesto from Liguria combined with a delicious mild truffle flavour makes an original pasta sauce that will have everyone talking. It really is that good!

Balsamic Vinegar Condiment of Reggio Emilia (100ml) - Aged for a minimum of 6 years. Produced with the same loving care as the traditional DOP balsamic vinegars, the red label is left to age in barrels of different types of wood to age and slowly gather their varying aromas, giving it a beautiful and complex flavour with a lovely natural density. For sheer elegance and class, it is on a par with some of the most expensive traditional DOP balsamics at a fraction of the price. It combines perfectly with uncooked dishes, fruit, desserts, Parmesan cheese and ice cream. To be used in drops!

Pancetta from Tuscany (250g) - This is the real stuff! Tuscan pancetta is perfect for pasta dishes like Carbonara but adds a lovely flavour to 100s of sauces and fried dishes (soffriti). Just dice and fry. The pancetta is cured with spices (mainly black pepper) and the meat is from the Tuscan Cinta which is reknowned for its quality and aromatic sweetness.

Parmigiano-Reggiano DOP, Aged 30 Month (500g) - Produced by Caseficio Fior di Latte in the Parmigiano Reggiano DOP region this is a multi award-winning Parmesan cheese from the mountain area around Bologna and Modena. It is a mature Parmesan aged for a minimum 30 months in perfect conditions. This gives it a stronger character and harder, crunchier consistency and all the goodness common to all good Parmesans. Loved by adults and children alike, it can be grated onto stronger tasting sauces and is lovely in a salad, but try it on its own with an aged balsamic vinegar and a glass of fine wine.

Riccosa Chocolate Spread (200g) - Heaven in a jar! A rich and creamy gourmet chocolate spread made from Slitti's award winning milk chocolate and using real cocoa butter, not artificial flavourings as in other common spreads. Andrea Slitti, a renowned Italian chocolatier, has selected Italy's finest hazlenuts from the Langhe region in Piedmont, renowned for their sweetness and aroma, to bring a unique and delightful flavour guaranteed to bring a smile of sheer pleasure to anyone who tries it. Great as a topping on cakes and bread but incedible when gently heated and melted onto ice cream.

Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil - San Gimignano (250ml) - A delightful Tuscan extra virgin olive oil from a co-operative of small farms around San Gimignano in the heart of the Italian countryside. Produced from the frantoio, moraiolo and leccino olives, the IGT variety from Valdelsano is a lovely blend of smooth mellow flavours that combine both luxury and quality. This oil possesses a mild to strong aroma of grass and fruit with a classic peppery aftertaste. It is perfect for garnishing salads and vegetables.

Bucatini Pasta from Naples (500g) - Bucatini pasta is like thick, hollow spaghetti and is perfect for rich tomato or cream sauces also excellent with olive oil based sauces as well. Try it with spicy sausage or all'amatriciana. This is a high quality artisan pasta from Naples.

Truffle Honey - Acacia Honey with Bianchetto Truffles (100g) - The rich sweetness of Acacia honey and the wonderful, subtle earthy flavour of finest Umbrian Bianchetto truffles make a fabulous and original combination. The truffles are sliced directly into the honey. This is a classic condiment to pair especially with cheese - any cheese! Also wonderful to garnish roast meat dishes especially game and as an antipasto with cured meats.

Corbezzolo Honey from Sardinia -(250g) - This is one of the rarest and most sought-after honeys in the world and when you experience its unique taste, it's easy to understand why! Limited quantities are produced in the mountain regions of Sardinia in late Autumn when the rare Corbezzolo (Arbutus Unendo or Strawberry Tree) is in full bloom. It first evokes an exotic, creamy sweetness on the palate before unleashing its distinctive sparkling bitterness. Stunning with aged cheeses, pecorino or gorgonzola. Or use it to flavour dressings or marinades.

This is the real stuff! Tuscan pancetta is perfect for pasta dishes like Carbonara but adds a lovely flavour to 100s of sauces and fried dishes soffriti. Just dice and fry or grill. The pancetta is cured with spices (mainly black pepper) and the meat is from the Tuscan Cinta which is reknowned for its quality and aromatic sweetness. You won't find better than this.

NB this is an artisan cured meat made by hand and weights may differ slightly. Approx £12.75/kg

As testimony to the quality of our Pancetta, it has won the Double Gold Star at the 2010 Great Taste Awards! The best in its category.

Gold Winner at the 2010 Great Taste Awards

What a combination! Quality Balsamic Vinegar of Modena infused with real Umbrian truffles. Unique gourmet flavours which pair exquisitely with all meat dishes, grilled veg, potatoes, eggs and many more. A lovely dense glaze in a very handy squeezy bottle makes this rare product suitable for everyday use...

and why not!

Read all about Italian Truffles here.

Read all about Balsamic Vinegar here.

Looking for fresh Italian truffles? We can organise next day delivery from Italy - best prices in the UK. Read all about it here

Winner of Gold in the 2011 Great Taste Awards!

One of the greatest culinary experiences is sharing a drop or two of gold Extravecchio Traditional Balsamic Vinegar after dinner.

The Gold Extravecchio is a blend of vinegars that have been aged for a minimum of 25 years, with some of the vinegar in the bottle comfortably over 50 years old. Only 100 or so producers gain the official seal of the Consortium to produce Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP and the Traditional DOP vinegars from Compagnia del Montale have always been ranked among the finest.

This Gold label ages in small casks of 6 different types of wood including oak, juniper and ash. Over time, the woods instil their own unique character into the the liquid and through gentle evaporation, a sweet substance with a complex flavour and startling natural density develops. As per consortium regulations, the 100ml bottle designed by Giugiaro is used. Please see our article below for much more information on this fascinating product.

Just a couple of drops of this can exhalt any dish, from grilled meats to exotic sweet and sour. The Extravecchio Traditional balsamic is wonderful with desserts, icecream, fruit and aged cheeses, especially parmesan. Most Italians would also share a couple of drops as a digestivo after a meal - marvellous!

If you look at prices in the UK for these vinegars, you'll find ours are somewhat cheaper. Just part of our effort to make one of the world's finest gourmet ingredients just a little more accessible in this country.

Learn all about Balsamic Vinegar here