The Many Faces Of Grappa by ERIKA TOCCO
Grappa…who even drinks the stuff-let alone likes it? If you ask these types of questions to the general public, I bet most responses run a negative angle. This is because most people do not have a better understanding of the spirit. All too often it is compared with vodka, because like vodka, it can be credited to having little or no taste, and what taste there is generally comes from the burning sensation that lives on in your throat long after you have ingested the drink. To appreciate a strong spirit such as grappa, one must understand how it is made and the different types that exist on our market.
Who invented it? Who knows? What we do know is that smart distillation techniques travelled from Egypt and North Africa up to Italy, where in the 8th century, Jesuit monks were starting to create alcohol meant for human consumption in the form of brandy and eau de vie. Earlier on, distilled alcohol was used primarily for medicinal purposes. This form, that was created for enjoyment, was entirely new to the general populous. To be able to qualify as a grappa three major criteria must be met:
1. It can only be produced in Italy, San
Marino, or the Italian part of Switzerland When in doubt, always serve grappa more on the cooler side
2. Grappa can only be produced from
the must/pomace of grapes and not the actual juice
3. Fermentation and distillation must Once made as a by-product of dry wine production, we now have a slew of boutique grappa houses that make a fabulous selection of this spirit in many different forms. Originally it was known as the ‘poor man’s drink’, as winemakers sought to use all the leftovers from a harvest and create a little extra income for themselves. Grappa was invented in the middle ages in a town nestled in the northern part of Veneto - Bassano del Grappa.
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only occur on the pomace - no water addition allowed
To make grappa, one must first coferment the stems and seeds of the pomace with the leftover skins and pulp (which are loaded with sugars and juice). Those are then distilled utilizing the Bain Marie technique, or steam distillation. Methanol, a by-product of distillation is removed (that is the harmful substance) and then the distiller has the option whether or not to age the spirit in cask or leave it clean and wood free.