Grab a Grappa

Prior to my recent trip to the Poli Grappa factory in the Veneto region I thought grappa was a clear liquor, like grain alcohol, that one drank at big fat Greek weddings. Turns out I was a bit mistaken.

Grappa is made, not from fermented grapes like brandy, but from the skins, pulp, stems and seeds, or grape pomace, after the grapes have been pressed for wine. Typically, from 100 kilograms of grapes, 80 kg is used for wine production - around 100 bottles - and 20 kg is used for grappa production - 2 bottles.  The Poli family uses the "discontinuous" method of making grappa. Baskets of the pomace are placed into copper cauldrons and steam heated for about 3 hours. After this distillation process, the product then flows down into a stainless steel where it is tasted, the alcoholic content is measured and impurities are eliminated. The grappa is then placed into barrels for aging.

Some of the grappa is infused with flavors, such as licorice, honey, blueberry or rue (evergreen). Some obtain their flavors solely from the barrels in which they are aged and the pomace used, such as Sassicaia, merlot, port or sauternes.

Grappa is drunk out of specially designed tulip shaped glasses as a digestivo to aid in the digestion of dinner or other heavy meals.  At our visit to Poli, some of us tried it added to espresso to create caffe corretto or corrected coffee.  Others finished their espressos and then poured a bit of grappa in the cup as ammazzacaffe or coffee killer.  In the Veneto, where we were, folks will drink their espresso with sugar, then when there is still a bit of the coffee left, add grappa as a resentin or little rinser.

 

Grappa emerged as a distilled drink by farmers who could obtain the byproduct of grapes pressed for wine. At the time, wine was only available to the nobility. The appellation Grappa can only be used for grappa produced in Italy. Most grappa is made near the Bassaro del Grappa in the top eastern part of Italy (the Veneto region).

 

The Poli Grappa Factory is located in the heart of this region.  It began in 1898 when Giobatta Poli built a small still and went door-to-door distilling pomaces.  Grappa production continued for 3 generations, and has grown to world-wide distribution, each generation adding modern technologies to the production.  Jacopo, Giampaoio, Barbara and Andrea Poli currently oversee the operations of the factory.