Origins, history and characteristics of Italian grappas

Origins, history and characteristics of grappas Italian

Distill marc was already in use in the fifteenth century, when the production of grappa from wine distillate began. In literature it appears well known with the publication of the treatise De Conficienda Aqua Vitae, the work of the Paduan doctor Savonarola, capable of spreading the culture of grappa throughout the Italian territory.

Tradition however dictates that the preparation of the grappa dates back to the Roman Empire, when a soldier, returning to Rome from his military exploits, received a vineyard in Friuli as a reward. Since in battle in the lands of the East he had known the use of the still to distil wine, he began to produce a distillate of marc which soon became known in the neighboring territories. So the first real traces, even if handed down orally, trace the origin of grappa back to the beginning of the 1st century BC. C ..

It dates back to the early 1300s grappa as it is known today. The date coincides with the development and use of water cooler in Europe, the effective way to increase the production of brandy. Here it is so the grappa it begins to emerge outside the borders of the peninsula, spreading in some social contexts.

It is around 1800 that some Italian vineyards began to specialize with a particular production of grappa. From the harvest, the distillation of the skins of the grapes continues, through a completely different process from that of making the wine.

That kind of grappa it was destined for the less affluent classes to whom the less noble parts of fermented grapes were generally reserved, that is, the stalks, seeds and skins. For the higher social classes, however, the brandy was destined.

With certainty it was a type of grappa completely different in quality from the distillates known today. Much drier and full of pungent substances, it was sometimes even unpleasant, to the point that for several centuries grappa coincided with a strong, quite burning and quite simple drink.

It was only after the Second World War that grappa managed to gain a rightful place in history. The Monte Grappa testifies from that time on the importance that the drink had in the fighting: grappa was recognized the role of protagonist, necessary to launch the liquid courage needed to face the difficulties of the Alpine troops during the dangerous battles in battle.

And so today we talk about Italian grappas, raising the drink to one of the most popular among the alcoholic ones of the peninsula's tradition and culture. Precisely that grappa obtained from the distillation of pomace has become a product of Made in Italy, for which our country holds its exclusivity. In the various Italian regions grappa is produced with several variations, faithful to the territory.

When it comes to grappa, today, the only reference is to the spirits produced from marc, coming from grapes grown exclusively in the Italian territory.

From the production of grappa in the past to today

It was the artisan method that dictated the rules for the production of grappa in the past. Using bain-marie or direct fire stills, the drink was often made in a discontinuous cycle. Only in the mid-1900s did modern instruments for industrial distillation arrive in Italy.

There wasn't even a huge variety of grappa, since only the white grappa classic, that coming from distilled mixed pomace. So there was no diffusion of grappas derived from a single selected grape variety.

After the Second World War, with the spirit of rebirth of industry and society in Italy, also the production of grappa sees a new spirit. With the change in the lifestyle of the Italians, we are witnessing a positive and thriving economy.

After World War II, Italian society experienced an unprecedented moment of development. The Italians changed their lifestyle, enjoying a favorable economic condition.

From the noticeable changes in the way of life, interests in sectors not previously considered and the grappa it too became the protagonist of the habits of the Italians. When the grappa was tasted, the drinking routine was abandoned without considering the taste and the alcohol content.

And in the normal evolution of the habits and customs of the Italians, also the taste of grappa began to show new trends, becoming softer and less aggressive customs, revealing a total nobility, especially through prolonged refinements in wooden barrels.

The production of the grappa in Italy

Six regions have been identified by the EC (European Community) for the production of grappa. This recognition took place in 1989, for which for over 30 years Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trentino Alto Adige, Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont and the sub-area of Barolo, Sicily and the sub-area of Marsala, have had the privilege of producing grappa.

Each of these regions and sub-zones impeccably personify the culture and tradition in producing the grappa in an artisanal way, even if with different characteristics.

Today the grappa represents a clear example of the many excellences of Made in Italy. It has a well-defined name in the European Regulation 110/2018: the grappa it is indicated as marc brandy distilled exclusively in Italy.

According to this definition, it is very clear that both the seeds and the grape skins, the result of the vinification process and which create the marc, must have an exclusively Italian origin and belong to grapes grown and vinified only in Italy.

These are strict rules, necessary to guarantee the origin of the grappa. Therefore, any other distillate, even if produced on the territory of the country but with foreign marc, will never have the denomination of grappa.

In safeguarding the drink as an original, the grappas that possess the assured denomination of Italian origin of the marc, cannot raise some uncertainty about the place of territorial origin.

The characteristics of the production of the grappa in Italy

Next to the generic name of grappa which covers the entire Italian territory, there are 9 Typical Geographical Indications (IGT): Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trentino Alto Adige, Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont and the sub-zone of Barolo, Sicily and the sub-zone of Marsala , territories that have the privilege of producing grappa.

Each of these regions and sub-zones, with their climatic and territorial connotative elements, give life to a thriving and prosperous variety of grappas. Their peculiarity is to be Italian first of all but each with its own distinctive peculiarities in terms of aromas and flavors.

We absolutely cannot speak of grappa in the singular, precisely because each type refers to the territory of origin. Since each Italian region and sub-zone has specific characteristics depending on the territory, even the grappa produced in each single locality will be different.

Characteristics of the grappa: production

To fully understand the differences between the various Italian grappas, the starting point is to refer to the marc, that is the raw material that is processed.

It is the set of grape skins previously used for the production of wine. The marcs are distinguished in two ways: unfermented or virgin marcs and in fermented marcs.

- Unfermented or virgin pomace: they are generally white and have not yet fermented with the wine must, this task therefore remains with the distiller-

- Fermented pomace: these are those fermented with the wine must and have also acquired a certain alcoholic percentage.

Both unfermented and fermented pomace, in any case, must complete their fermentation process which, to be complete, must completely transform the sugars present.

Therefore, the procedure by which the sugar part will be transformed into alcohol will have to take place, thus allowing to move on to the next phase, that of distillation.