Every Saturday, David Brenner of Villasfor2 in Abruzzo recommends a delicious – and top-value - 'Italian Wine of the Week’ for you to try at home - or enjoy in your Abruzzo villa !

Grappa
A little diversion this week on the basis that Grappa is a - or rather the - by-product of Italian wine production; and that as you'll maybe want to try it during your stay in our Abruzzo villas, (or simply after a meal at any Italian restaurant anywhere in the world), it'd be useful to pick out the good from the bad and the ugly.

What is Grappa ?
It's a clear spirit - commercially sold at around 40%+ - distilled from the skins, pips, stalks and other grapey leftovers (known as 'pomace') that remain after wine production. On the marketing basis that one bottle of clear liquid looks pretty much like another, Grappa producers do tend to go for coloured bottles of elaborate appearance in  a bid to create a distinctive, 'buy me' image. Or swing in entirely the opposite direction and package their product in minimalist plain glass.

Whatever the wrapping, the contents - most usually simply labelled 'Grappa' - will have a clear, slightly viscous appearance. That's the basis - and many producers will go on to age their Grappa in barrels, which'll impart an amber hue. Beware the artificially-coloured 'aged' Grappa in a fancy bottle. In contrast to the genuine article - which can be very fine - this invariably is very dismal.

Is That It ?
Not quite. Distil the residue from the year's production of a single-grape variety wine - and you'll end up with a single-grape variety Grappa. And that's the current buzz. Here in Abruzzo, we're treated to Grappa Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Grappa Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. Further afield, you'll find the likes of Grappa Prosecco. Generically, you can pick up Grappa Chardonnay or Grappa Moscato from the sweet Muscat grape. 

The theory of course is that by distilling a single-grape variety, the resulting Grappa will retain faint undertones of the grape's characteristics. And when drinking my own personal favourite - Grappa Moscato - I can indeed detect a distinct underlying sweetness.

Then there's home-made Grappa, which can strip paint at fifty paces - or be as skilfully-made and taste better than all but the very best of the commercially-produced offerings.

Really ?
It's a (completely legal) Italian tradition - though you're more likely to be offered a glass of home-distilled Grappa in rural areas as opposed to the more sophisticated surroundings of Rome, Milan or Turin. In the picture above are a blue bottle and a plain bottle. The former contains commercially-produced Grappa Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. The latter - according to the screw-top - once held 'CiBo Canelli', but now holds an embarrassingly-diminished supply of Grappa made by the Father of a good friend of ours, who handed it over with the warning, 'Dad likes it strong.' The commercial stuff is 43%; Dad's Special is considerably more potent. If it's too strong - and there are limits even for diehard Dads - it's cut to an acceptable strength with distilled water.

If you get given a bottle of home-distilled Grappa, accept it with gratitude. But don't attempt to buy any. While it's legal to make your own Grappa, it's very illegal to sell it.

But What Does It Taste Like ?
Grab a glass. Pour a shot of Grappa. Take a deep breath. What you should be getting is the smell of a big bunch of freshly-picked grapes intermingled with a little damp earth. Sip cautiously. There's the initial jolt of alcohol on your tongue that slips smoothly down your throat and warms you right down to your belly-button. 

Now taste the Grappa residue in your mouth. Breathe in a little air. If you've chosen wisely, you'll pick up a definite echo of a single-grape variety added to a little fire. The finish will be very long, so finish your glass in little sips, maybe mixed every now and then with an alternate sip of coffee. Each complements the other. Relax !

And The Accepted Way To Drink Grappa is…?

• Keep it in the refrigerator.
• Serve it in small glasses…
•  …after a meal as a digestif.
• Sip
• Have one glass only. (Seriously. Two isn't the done thing)

Or

Go into a cafe and ask for 'Un cafe corretto.' (A 'corrected' coffee). This'll be taken to mean you've asked for a little slug of - usually - Grappa to be added to your espresso, though a quizically-raised eyebrow might be a prompt for you to specify you do indeed want Grappa (as opposed to maybe whisky or brandy). This little booster - especially recommended on a raw midwinter morning - shouldn't add more than €1 (if that) to the price of a regular espresso.

How Much Should I Pay ?
In a bar, about €1-3 for a standard shot. If you've eaten well in a restaurant; complimented the food; have obviously enjoyed yourselves; and the owner likes you, you'll find yourself being offered a post-dinner glass on the house. Otherwise expect to pay around €3-5 for a shot - a little more for a single-grape Grappa or quite a lot more for an aged one.

If you're buying by the bottle in  a Supermarket, under €10 will get you pretty much anything on offer - except the very best/oldest, which'll be about double that. Still good value though.

Grappa is still relatively unknown outside Italy. Find out more about how it's made here. 

(Click on pictures in text for larger images)

If you like Italian wine, why not check out last week's 'Everyday Italian Wine' - and bookmark this site for future weekly posts !

Next week: Rosso Piceno Superiore - a Montepulciano/Sangiovese blend from Le Marche made by a top producer for you to try at home - or in your Abruzzo villa !

Abruzzo villa, Everyday Italian Wine, Grappa

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 29th, 2008 at 6:40 am and is filed under David's 'Everyday Italian Wine', Eating and Drinking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.