Grappa, Sun of Ice in a Bottle
Sole di ghiaccio imbottigliato, “Sun of ice in a bottle”: a grappa description by Paolo Montelli, an Italian journalist who served in the alpini force during WW1. What a fit phrasing!
Grappa is a distillate made from leftovers of wine production: mainly skins, but also seeds and stems. Once the drink of the poor- another product to be added to the long list of Italian items made from leftovers, grappa is today experiencing a new renaissance. The first records of grappa production are dated at Roman and Egyptian times, and descriptions of the current distillation method are present in writings from the 1400s. Isolated for centuries in family production in the mountain areas, it is today flourishing thanks to a few committed distillers that are brining grappa to new heights in terms of quality and distribution.
Many friends I talk to tell me that they don’t like grappa. I usually assume they haven’t tasted really good grappa, as the complexity of flavor in a grappa is not different from the one of scotch, or cognac, with a main difference: bad whiskey can taste okay, while bad grappa is really, really bad! It burns your mouth and your esophagus, leaving nothing behind for your taste buds to experience! So, grappa’s bad rep is mainly due to the range of quality that is available, and the relative rarity of good products to come by!
Grappa is the only distillate that is filled with its aroma from the moment it is prepared. It is a “young” distillate, then, that can be enjoyed shortly after its preparation- but it can also be aged, and that’s where it brings out its best! Grappa is usually divided in three categories:
Young grappa- this refers to grappa that is bottled shortly after distillation and are never placed in a wood container;
Cask-conditioned grappa- refers to grappa that is aged in wood barrels. This is usually broken down in two sub-categories: grappa invecchiata (aged grappa), aged for at least 12 months in wooden barrels, and grappa riserva or stravecchia,aged for at least 18 months in wooden barrels.
Aromatized grappa- grappa that is infused with vegetables or fruit flavors, like juniper, anise, berries, etc.
Each of these grappa varieties can then be called “aromatic” if they are made with aromatic or semi-aromatic grapes like Moscato, Barolo, Sauvignon, etc., and they preserve their flavor.
How to enjoy a great grappa? Slowly! Grappa degustation is harder than other products as its very strong flavors and high alcohol content “saturate” the taste bud fairly quickly. It needs to be sipped and nurtured, drinking just small amount and let it fill your mouth with flavor. You will then realize that not all grappa are created equal: the range of flavors will depend on the age of the grappa, and on its flavoring technique.
Grappa is showing up on more and more menus in the Bay Area- I have found a nice selection at Poggio, La Strada, Perbacco, and in many other places. When I run out, I buy my grappa at St. George Spirits in Alameda, and sometimes I try out some of the bottles on the shelves at Beverages and More. My favorite grappa producers are from Piedmont: my favorite is Marolo, and I’ve also recently got to know (at the Golden Glass event!) Elena Borra of Distilleria Vieux Moulin, who produces a great aged grappa!
Filed under: Traditional Foods
[...] Grappa, for example, is a drink that used to be relegated to small family production as it was made from the leftovers of wine making. Nowadays, it is considered a fancy way to recycle and reduce waste, which in these ecologically conscious times is always a plus, but reality is it was whatever the land workers could collect from the refuses of wine making that traditionally made the primary distillation ingredient. Similarly, think of meringhe, desserts made exclusively of egg whites and sugar: egg whites were leftovers from many preparations, and in many rich families the kids would get zabaione (egg yolks and sugar) as an afternoon snacks. That left the kids of the servants with meringhe! [...]
Many thanks for writing about Grappa, but let me add some specifications. Grappa is no more, since 1946, at least, an home made product. In Italy it is forbbidden by law to destillate without being registered as a professional destillator.
nowadays, there are no more than 130 legal producers all over Italy. Grappa Aromatica is only the one made by aromatic grapes: moscato. (someone also says Traminer, but it is really impossible to taste specific natural aromas of this grape in grappa)
Barolo, Brunello and Sauvignon are NOT aromatic grapes. Barolo and Brunello, as a matter of fact, are not grapes at all (grapes for these wines are nebbiolo and sangiovese).
sincerely
maurizio fava
grappa writer, teacher and taster
Grazie Maurizio!! If you’d like to write more about grappa, I would be happy to leave you the stage! If you’d like, you can write me at vanessa at italyinsf dot com. Thanks again!
[...] you can find cuneesi in a variety of flavors- hazelnut, grappa, etc.- although the rum ones are still the most traditional. The best feature of it all? Well, A.G. [...]
You can also find Marolo grappe at the SF Wine Trading Company (https://www.sfwtc.com/) — both of which I highly recommend.
Last year in Alba, the wife of the owner gave us a tour of the Marolo distillery. My chef wife doesn’t like grappa at all, but it was the surprise culinary highlight for her on our two-week food orgy in Piemonte.
Also, there is a very good selection at Bar 888 in SF’s Intercontinental Hotel (http://www.intercontinentalsanfrancisco.com/welcome.php?p=bar). Also recommended for grappa lovers - or experimenters.
Greg- this is amazing- I am going to the SF Wine Trading Company ASAP! The Marolo Grappa they have listed are about half what I paid for them at the Marolo distilleria just a month ago. Please see pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60718483@N00/sets/72157606820075550/
The reaction your friend had to Marolo grappa is not unusual. I always serve Marolo after dinner parties, even to people who swear they hate grappa, and they always walk out saying- you know, this was great!