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On my recent visit to Milan had the opportunity to taste different varieties of this precious liquor, so the return from my trip I could not stop to remember and write a few lines.

As contained in some references it seems that already documented in 1451 some Italian peasants of pre-Alpine and Alpine regions elaborated liquor may be the source of the Grappa, which in its early call grape and apparently serve as an elixir of hard life to spend the cold days of winter in northern Italy.

Apparently it was then about 400 years ago in the city Bassano del Grappa where he established the way is prepared and consumed today

In these more than five hundred fifty years has passed from Grappa drink rude peasants to be venerated by the most demanding gourmets and increasing demand has meant that there is much diversity of qualities and prices. There are many spirits produced industrially in continuous process that are cheaper and others are still produced by small-scale manufacturing methods, in batch mode, which can raise the price significantly.

Although there are different positions on the diversity of current Grappa distillation residue are different grapes and different aromatizaciones and other liquors, different ages. A riserva or grappa vecchia should be stored at least twelve months, six of which must remain in wooden casks. The oak is what gives it its characteristic golden yellow color.

As in our spirits, the process begins with Marc, whose quality is decisive for the outcome. To obtain a good Grappa marc should not be too dry and must be fresh and grape quality. Once you are ready to distill fermented for what is gently heated, usually in a water bath (bagnomaria) or water vapor. In no event shall the temperature exceed Marc 100 ° C because otherwise it would form a thick soup that would seriously damage the taste of the distillate.

From this point and taking into account that substances which holds the residue have different boiling points, will be the master distiller and smell which should control the process for obtaining a good result.

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At present some modern distilleries have specialized in developing high-quality spirits where geniuses by distillation and Romano Levi, Bruce Pilzer, Luigi Orazio Nonino or Gioachino Nannoni llevasdo the Grappa you to the top of the world of spirits.

In Milan at the end of a wonderful dinner at the Ristorante Alessandro had the chance to taste different grappa distillery Marolo . Its alcohol content ranging from 35 º to 60 º degrees and were completely different in both its strength and in its flavor and nuances. To me the most I liked was the one that is made based Gewurztraminer grape pomace that despite the graduation of 42 ° was full of aroma and flavor.