You might already be familiar with grappa if you’ve traveled to Italy at some point in your life. Grappa, like the sparkling wines known as prosecco, is typically offered at Italian restaurants.

But Italian grappa isn’t just an alcoholic drink. There’s so much more to just drinking grappa if we know about its history.

Let’s learn more about it right now, shall we?

What is Grappa?

Grappa is a grape pomace brandy made in Italy. It’s an alcoholic beverage extracted from winemaking byproducts. But don’t be fooled that just because it came from scraps, it’s weaker!

Grappa is way stronger than wines, with an alcohol content that ranges between 35 to 60 percent.

Since 2008 the European Union has legally defined grappa, and the alcoholic spirit must now comply with strict guidelines in order to be called grappa. This also means that just like prosecco, Italian grappa can only be made in Italy, San Marino, or Italian areas of Switzerland.

Your first thought about this grappa would be that it’s made from wine scraps to help cut down the waste, but that’s not actually the case. This practice embodies the concept of Italian thrift. Italians are good at making use of most of everything they’re given of. One example of this is the nose-to-tail eating practices in the meat industry.

Pomace is frequently considered to be a waste product during the production of wine, despite the fact that the skin of the grape is the most aromatic and flavorful component of the fruit.

History of Grappa

The exact origins of grappa are murky, but modern historians generally agree that it originated in the Middle East.

Between the 18th and 12th centuries, Moorish invaders traversed Europe, settling on the Italian island of Sicily. The monks of Salerno, having learned from them, then began using distillation to create medicines from local plants.

The grappa industry didn’t find its foundation until the 18th century, but the spirit quickly established its own unique identity.

Although the word grappa can be traced back to the Latin word for “grapes,” it wasn’t widely used until the 1950s. The interesting thing is that this occurred right around the time it went from being a poor man’s drink to a highly coveted spirit.

Grappa’s rise to fame may be traced more precisely than that of other alcoholic beverages. The demand for Italian fine cuisine began in the country’s postwar economic boom. Italian flavors went global because of their historic and refined appeal, which spoke to the culinary masterminds of younger nations.

Grappa gained popularity among those who preferred the nuanced flavors of an old drink as it made its way into restaurants alongside pasta and pizza.

The history of grappa can be helpfully compared to that of gin. Gin, once associated with the poor in England, has evolved into a sophisticated spirit found in bars and liquor stores around the world.

Starting in the 1960s and onward, people who wanted to produce the spirit looked into various methods of distillation. At first, this necessitated the utilization of cutting-edge methods. Distillation using a bain-marie is one such example.

Producing companies started experimenting with various grape varieties, tasty fruit infusions, and oak cask aging as early as 1979. Over time, these various grappa variations resulted from these various experiments.

Grapes like Muscat and Malvasia produce alcoholic beverages with the right amount of body and aroma for those who prefer a more robust and scented experience.

Alternatively, infusions of herbs and other botanicals can be used to create unique variations.

Why do Italians drink grappa?

In Italy, grappa is typically consumed after dinner as a digestif to assist with the digestion of the fatty-rich foods that were eaten earlier in the meal. Grappa has a more laid-back character, despite the higher alcohol content that it typically contains.

Historically, many of the alcohols used as a digestif (digestives) were first used as medicines or as components of elixirs in their respective countries of origin. Many of these tonics were, as you might expect, developed to alleviate gastrointestinal distress. Some are highly herbal, with carminative herbs that stop gas from forming in the digestive tract.

Because of this, many Italians believe that grappa can ease the pain of toothache, bronchitis, rheumatism, or indigestion.

What does grappa taste like?

Even if you’ve never tried it before, we won’t stand in your way of having the musky, flavored experience that is grappa. But heed our warning that this drink is not for the faint of heart.

Most budget brands are distilled from low-quality pomace and sold straight from the still. Wine that isn’t made with premium grapes or aged properly is often referred to as “firewater” because of the unpleasant taste.

A high-quality grappa, on the other hand, will have a wide variety of berry-sweet overtones and a variety of soft, nuanced introductions such as honey, caramel, or treacle, that sets it apart from other types of grappa.

How to drink grappa?

1. After a Meal

Grappa is typically consumed after a meal. Serve it straight up in a shot glass. However, connoisseurs prefer to drink theirs out of tall, stemmed-nosing glasses.

Aged grappa should be served at around 16–18 °C, while younger bianca grappa is best served at around 10 °C.

You should take note that dipping your finger in the glass of grappa and then rubbing it against the back of your hand is a good way to evaluate the quality of the spirit before actually tasting it. The evaporating vapors reveal both the opulent aromas and any lingering impurities in a well-made grappa.

2. In the Morning

In the morning, some people enjoy mixing grappa with a hot shot of espresso.

Coffee’s aroma and flavor complement an aromatic grappa.

You can make a caffè corretto (“corrected coffee”) on the spot by adding a few drops of the grape pomace drink, or you can drink your espresso first, followed by a shot of grappa as an ammazzacaffè (“coffee killer”).

3. As a “Little Rinser”

Another similar custom can be found in the Northern Italian region of Veneto.

After finishing your espresso, you are urged to add a resentin (“little rinser”) of grappa to the same cup. Don’t let anything go to waste; drink the last drops.

4. Into Your Cocktail

Pour some grappa into your cocktail.

Although grappa is typically enjoyed on its own, it can also be combined with a number of other components to produce a variety of interesting cocktails. In this instance, the traditional tulip-shaped grappa glass should be replaced with a more compact glass that has the capacity to hold ice.

Best Grappa Brands in Italy

Grappa is available in a wide variety of styles, each of which is characterized by a distinct set of distinguishing characteristics.

The first aspect that distinguishes a grappa is the grape variety, which tells us whether or not it is a single-variety grappa, which is produced from marc made from at least 85% of a single variety of grapes.

After learning more about Italian grappa, you may be considering purchasing a bottle so that you can try it for yourself.

The following is a list of some of the best grappa brands that can be found in Italy, which you should consider purchasing from.

1. Bepi Tosolini

The steam stills at the Bepi Tosolini distillery are operated by hand, ensuring a product of the highest quality.

Since nearly a century ago, quality has been defined by laborious procedures and restricted output achieved with traditional machinery.

This grappa by Tosolini distillery is steam distilled using the traditional copper still from the pomace of mixtures from Friulian grape varieties. It has a crystal-clear appearance, rich in flavor, with the signature fresh fruit and floral aromas of Friulian wines.

Intrigued by grappa made by Tosolini? Try their Tosolini Grapa Civida. It’s fruity and floral with a hint of citrus oil, subtle almond and grape flavors, and hints of stone fruit. It fades in the palate with cracked black pepper spice.

Tosolini Grappa Cividina has an alcohol volume of 40%.

2. Bellini

Bellini uses only the highest quality grapes in their wines, which come both from their own vineyards and those of carefully selected local farms.

After earning his degree in industrial chemistry, Maurizio Masi joined his uncle Carlo in the family business. Maurizio now runs the winery, continuing the family’s tradition of blending age-old techniques with cutting-edge innovations to create wines of increasing quality.

The pomace from the grapes used to make Chianti wine is fermented and then distilled to create a spirit called Grappa del Chianti. This grappa has a bouquet that is as refined as a good Chianti wine. The flavor is warm and inviting, with a sense of harmony and a touch of fruitiness.

Bellini Grappa del Chianti has an alcohol volume of 42% and a must-try.

3. Poli

In 1898, GioBatta Poli, the company’s founder, opened a distillery in Schiavon, close to Bassano del Grappa in Veneto, a region known for its abundance of grappa.

Poli calls itself an artisan distillery because grappa is made in limited quantities.

Many critics have said that once you’ve tasted grappa made by Poli, there’s a chance that this will be your favorite for the rest of your life. Will you dare to try?

White Muscat grapes from the Euganei hills are used to create this single-variety, highly aromatic Poli Grappa di Moscato. Aromas of citrus and orange blossoms give way to a broad, smooth flavor.

This grappa contains 40% of alcohol.

4. Nonino

Nonino is an iconic Italian grappa brand and distillery, representing the best of Italian history, craftsmanship, and prestige around the world.

Grappa Nonino, produced by one of Italy’s most illustrious distilleries, is a globally recognized icon of Italian excellence.

The business has been run by the Nonino family for more than 120 years. Throughout its long history, the Nonino family has been able to fulfill an important mission: To bring Italian grappa to the world by turning it from a simple distillate made by peasants into a noble and prestigious brandy, from a traditional product used every day to a luxury item for special occasions.

Starting in the 1960s, single variety grappa is made, which made the area’s old native grapes even better and changed the way people thought about the best Italian distillate. The raw materials are very fresh pomace that is fermented for a short time at a controlled temperature in steel vats. The distillation process is done by hand using discontinuous stills heated by steam.

This brand is undoubtedly the best, so it would be a shame not to taste a grappa made by Nonino!

Get a shot of their Nonino Grappa Monovitigno Picolit. This grappa is high-class, refined, and clean. Its balance is one of a kind, and it has hints of melon, green grapes, minerals, and moonflower. Honeydew and white pepper dance on the tongue, and orange blossom follows quickly after. The texture is medium-grained.

The Nonino Grappa Monovitigno Picolit has a 50% alcohol volume.

5. Bocchino

The Bocchino brand is one of the distilleries to give birth to one of the best Italian grappa that we have today.

Grappa, made by this brand with a distinctive aroma, is a product of passion and commitment to tradition, and a never-ending pursuit of quality.

The Bocchino family has always been dedicated to making grappa in the traditional way, perfected and made exclusively by founder Carlo Bocchino, for over a century now. The distillery selects and distills only the finest marc the land has to offer.

One of the best Bocchino has to offer is from their Riserva Grappa selection, the Grappa Cuvée di Barriques, made with pomace from Moscato d’Asti and Nebbiolo delle Langhe grapes.

This grappa has a brilliant hue resembling an amber with aromas of mulberry, spices, and iris, as well as floral notes with a barely perceptible undertone of jasmine. The flavor conjures up images of apricots that have been dried, vanilla, and toasted almonds, with a 40% alcohol volume.