Grappa: the queen of Italian spirits
Grappa: the queen of Italian spirits
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The "Grappa" name origin is related to "graspo" (stalk, in Italian also raspo or rachide), the "wooden" part of the grapes bunch, where the wine grapes insist. Grappa shares with other spirits a very long tradition, with alembic distillation of the stalks dated to XV Century. The distillation of wine or grape marc was already practiced in the Middle Ages, but the spirit was long regarded only as a medicinal "potion", while the tools of distillation had nothing to do with those of today; time after time the distillers found out the way to get to the "good" part of the distillate, cutting off the "head" and "tail" and their unhealthy (and even dangerous) alcohols! Grappa in Northern Italy The most experienced ans skilled Italian areas for the production and distillation of Grappa remain those of northern Italy: Friuli, Veneto and Piedmont. And it is from Piedmont as well the oldest document quoting the Grappa: it is dated back to 1443 and it is the payment of a customs duty for a spirit with wine origin, a "branda (quite close to brandy) of barbera and moscato"; unfortunately, no mentions about the alembic and if it was a spirit from grapes or marc. The "for the family" distillation tradition was very popular, but in 1627 Carlo Emanuele I forbade it with an edict, trying to appease the scourge of alcoholism. Known as rough, "poor" distillate, even just because of the clandestine production, Grappa has never had a disciplinary board for the manufacturing rules, a blow to serious distillers who have searched and studied the production, the marc, and then found out the best way to extract the best flavours, eliminating the harmful alcohols: nowaday many distillers offer some awesome Grappas, as good as more "noble" spirits! Do not forget that the Grappa is one of the few spirits that you can enjoy without any aging; aged Grappa takes on the characteristics of higher, more complex flavours, with hints that get closer to the softness of a Brandy or Cognac! There are Grappas from single variety of vine or from different varieties of vines. made with continuous or discontinuous stills, over direct fire or with double boiler; there is no regulations for the cask as well: new casks, or casks which has already been used for sherry, Scotch whisky, bourbon, wine... Another variable is the sugar: up to a 2% of caramelized sugar can be use, and of course it acts on the color, from the trasparency of the "no sugar" Grappa to a pale yellow or golden yellow, and different flavour and taste as well. Also the aging gives different aromas and nuances, with a more velvety taste and hints of dried fruits. Above all, the variety of grapes and the distillation "make" the Grappa. And, remember: while Grappa comes from the marc, the brandy comes from wine or grape juice. Grappa is, then, a spirit with its own history and development. For example it hasn't been used so much for cocktails (in Italy is often used as "ammazzacaffè", literally "coffee - killer, the very last thing of the dinner): so far, at least, as great Italian barmen and barwomen started to "experiment" with it and, believe me, some of the new Grappa - based cocktails are just great! ;-) But where to start your love story with the Grappa? Of course with us at the Enoteca Alessi: you can find a huge variety of this Italian spirit jewel!