Grappa is a distillate made from grape skins and residues after pressing. The history of grappa goes back to 1000 A.D. when the Medical School of Salerno codified the rules for the concentration of alcohol through distillation and prescribed its use as a cure for various diseases. Since grape residues were cheap and widely available, they were immediately used for distilling spirits. The earliest mention of acquavite (brandy) dates back to the 1400s, but the first documented research on the topic dates to the 1600s and was carried out by the Jesuits.
For many centuries no distinction was made between distillates obtained from grapes and those obtained from other kinds of fruit. Only in the early eighteenth century, did grappa became a distinct product with its peculiar characteristics. Today, grappa is an excellent Italian product protected and regulated by both national and EU laws. In order to make a distillate that can be called "grappa," one must use residues obtained from grapes grown and vinified in Italy. The distillation, too, must take place in Italian distilleries that meet specific national and EU requirements.
Grappa is the only distillate that can be made from solids, which must be placed directly in an alembic still. The stills used in the production of grappa can be of two different kinds: a continuous-column still or a simple pot still. The continuous-column stills work constantly: they are supplied steadily with grape skins and residues, which they turn into an alcoholic solution that ultimately becomes grappa after a second fermentation. Simple pot stills, on the other hand, work in stages. The boiler is first filled with grape skins and residues, which are heated and distilled into alcohol and aromatic substances, and then emptied. There are three kinds of simple pot stills:
Direct flame: the boiler is placed directly over the flame (this is the oldest method, almost abandoned nowadays).
Bain-marie (double boiler): the boiler has a hollow space that is filled with water or steam, allowing for extremely slow distillation (this is also an ancient method, but is still widely used because it gives great results).
Steam: consists of a series of small boilers with perforated baskets containing the skins, into which steam is introduced from an independent tank (this more modern method is widely used today because it yields a good-quality product and is very cost-effective).
How to taste Grappa
Grappa should be served neither too cold nor too warm. The ideal serving temperature is:
Between 48 and 55F for young and aromatic young grappas.
Between 60 and 64F for aged grappas.
When in doubt, it is best to serve grappa at a lower temperature: if too cold, it can always be warmed up by holding the glass between the palms of the hands and checking its aromas as the temperature rises. The ideal goblet for serving grappa is a pot-bellied, tulip-shaped glass made of crystal or sonorous glass, with a neck that should not be too tight, and a capacity of between 3 and 5 oz. Though very charming, it's best to avoid the use of cognac glassware or balloon-shaped goblets with a very narrow neck.
Classification: Production Techniques
Grappa labels can include information on the product's geographic appellation, the grape variety, and the type of alembic still used in its production. As to production techniques, grappa varieties can be classified in the following manner:
Grappa giovane (young grappa), characterized only by the aromas deriving from the grape variety and fermentation.
Grappa affinata in legno (grappa aged in wooden barrels).
Grappa invecchiata (aged grappa), aged for at least 12 months in wooden barrels.
Grappa riserva or stravecchia, aged for at least 18 months in wooden barrels.
Grappa aromatizzata, or grappa to which vegetable and fruit flavors (rue, pears, blueberry, etc.) have been added. Each of these grappa varieties can be called "aromatic" if it is made with aromatic or semi-aromatic grapes like Moscato, Muller Thurgau, Traminer, Sauvignon, etc.
