Comments on: Grappa, Sun of Ice in a Bottle

By: The Perfect Lunch | Italy In SF

The Perfect Lunch | Italy In SF — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:33:33 +0000

[...] could only wrap up such a lunch with a generous serving of grappa, otherwise we would never have been able to digest such a lunch! Sibona carries the seal of the [...]

By: Grappa Bar 888, San Francisco | Italy In SF

Grappa Bar 888, San Francisco | Italy In SF — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:31:01 +0000

[...] you might have guessed, I am a huge fan of grappa. It was hence delightful to find out that right here some brilliant mind devised a grappa bar!! I [...]

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:22:11 +0000

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!

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:02:02 +0000

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.

By: Cuneesi, Artisanal Chocolate from Piedmont | Italy In SF

Cuneesi, Artisanal Chocolate from Piedmont | Italy In SF — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:40:22 +0000

[...] 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. [...]

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:51:52 +0000

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!

By: maurizio fava

maurizio fava — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 08:08:31 +0000

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

By: A Culinary Culture Based on Leftovers | Italy In SF

A Culinary Culture Based on Leftovers | Italy In SF — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:37:16 +0000

[...] 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! [...]