QCD finite energy sum rules, together with the latest updated ALEPH data on hadronic decays of the tau-lepton are used in order to determine the vacuum condensates of dimension d = 2 and d = 4. These data are also used to check the validity of the Weinberg sum rules, and to determine the chiral condensates of dimension d = 6 and d = 8, as well as the chiral correlator at zero momentum, proportional to the counter term of the O(p 4 ) Lagrangian of chiral perturbation theory,L 10 . Suitable (pinched) integration kernels are introduced in the sum rules in order to suppress potential quark-hadron duality violations. We find no compelling indications of duality violations in the kinematic region above s ≃ 2.2 GeV 2 after using pinched integration kernels.