A blue tube with gold print, two signatures and a marc that once was Sassicaia. It is rare for a friendship between a grappa producer and one of the world's most revered wine estates to get its own bottle, yet that is exactly what happened here.

Expert description

Grappa di Sassicaia Jacopo Poli Edizione Speciale 30° Anniversario is an Italian Grappa at 40% distilled by Poli Distillerie from the marc of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grown at Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri, Tuscany — the grapes behind the legendary wine Sassicaia.

The partnership between Jacopo Poli and Marchese Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta began in 1993, and ever since Poli Distillerie has been allowed to collect marc straight from the cellars in Bolgheri. This release marks 30 years of that partnership and is bottled as a numbered anniversary edition from the 2020 vintage.

After gentle distillation in copper stills, the spirit rests for around four years in the oak barrels that previously aged the Sassicaia wine itself, before being bottled in the slim 50 cl bottle and packaged in a blue gift tube with gold print and the signatures of Jacopo Poli and Marchese Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta.

Tasting notes

Nose

Toasted hazelnuts and peanuts meet dark chocolate, with a whisper of dried Tuscan herbs in the background.

Palate

Full and warm, mirroring the nutty chocolate character of the nose, carried by the soft sweetness drawn from the oak.

Finish

Long and gently smoky, with a lingering toasted-nut note that slowly gives way to a dry, mineral close.

Specifications

Name: Grappa di Sassicaia Jacopo Poli Edizione Speciale 30° Anniversario
Distillery: Poli Distillerie
Region/Country: Veneto, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Size: 50 cl
Cask type: Sassicaia oak barrels
Distillation method: Copper pot still
Edition: 30° Anniversario, 2020 vintage
Serving suggestion: 18-20°C in a tulip-shaped glass

Flavour profile

Toasted nuts · Dark chocolate · Tuscan herbs · Round sweetness · Gently smoky

Did you know?

When Poli Distillerie first sent its driver Bruno to Bolgheri to collect marc, he asked the cellar master to fill two large 54-litre demijohns with the Sassicaia wine itself for his own use — a request the cellar master had to turn down, since the estate did not sell retail.

Shop our full range of Poli

In 1993, a young grappa distiller from Veneto turned up at one of Tuscany's most celebrated wine estates with an unusual request: could he distil their leftover pomace? The answer set off a friendship between two families — and the grappa in front of you, packed together with two hand-blown glasses, ready to be given away.

Expert description

Poli Grappa di Sassicaia Giftbox is an Italian Grappa distilled from Sassicaia wine pomace and presented in a wooden box together with two hand-blown crystal glasses, bottled at 40%.

The grappa comes from Poli Distillerie in Schiavon near Bassano del Grappa, where the Poli family has distilled since 1898. Jacopo Poli now runs the distillery together with his siblings Giampaolo, Barbara and Andrea, and it was Jacopo himself who, in 1993, was given permission by Marchese Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta to distil the pomace left over from Sassicaia — one of Italy's most celebrated red wines, made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grown at Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri, Tuscany.

The pomace is distilled in Poli's own copper stills using a discontinuous method, with the still heated by steam rather than direct flame — a technique the family patented themselves, and one that protects the grappa's floral character better than traditional heating. The grappa then matures in barrique for several years before moving into the old oak casks that once held the Sassicaia wine itself. That final finishing step is what gives the grappa its depth and a trace of the wine's own structure.

This edition is packed in a solid wooden box together with two hand-blown crystal glasses, ready to be given as a gift — or enjoyed as an occasion in itself.

Tasting notes

Nose

Delicate and floral at first, quickly opening into dried fruit, vanilla, cocoa and a touch of roasted coffee. Dark berries such as blackcurrant and blueberry sit underneath.

Palate

Full-bodied and almost wine-like on the palate, with spirit-soaked fruit, sweet spice and a roasted, almost coffee-like depth.

Finish

Long, soft and elegant, closing on a rounded, wine-like tail that lingers well after the last sip.

Specifications

Name: Poli Grappa di Sassicaia Giftbox
Distillery: Poli Distillerie
Region/Country: Veneto, Italy (pomace from Bolgheri, Tuscany)
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Barrique, followed by ex-Sassicaia oak casks
Distillation method: Discontinuous steam distillation in copper stills
Edition: Gift box with 2 hand-blown crystal glasses
Serving suggestion: Best served at room temperature in a tulip-shaped glass, as a digestif with dark chocolate or a cup of black coffee.

Flavour profile

Wine-like · Fruity · Spiced · Creamy · Woody

Did you know?

Sassicaia is the only estate in Italy with its own dedicated appellation — Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC, named after this single property. That is a status normally reserved for entire regions, not individual producers.

Shop our full range of Poli Grappa

Named after the Egyptian alchemist who, according to legend, built the very first still to turn base metals into gold. Poli has found its own way of doing so — by turning Amarone marc into liquid gold in a vacuum still called Crysopea.

Expert description

Poli Barrique Cleopatra Amarone Oro Grappa is an Italian Grappa at 40% from Poli Distillerie in Schiavon, Veneto, distilled from the marc of the grapes Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara — the same grapes used for the famous wine Amarone della Valpolicella.

The spirit is made using Crysopea, Poli's own bain-marie vacuum still developed together with the experimental centre in San Michele all'Adige and brought into use between 2005 and 2010. The method markedly lowers the boiling point of alcohol and other volatile compounds, preserving the delicate floral aromas that are normally lost at higher distillation temperatures.

After distillation, the grappa matures in oak barrels in the underground cellars in Schiavon, giving the spirit a fuller structure than the other expressions in the same line and adding notes of toasted wood and dried fruit.

Tasting notes

Nose

Freshly pressed ripe red grapes together with a basket of almonds and walnuts.

Palate

Full and sincere, with dried fruit, sweet spices and a hint of toasted wood from the cask maturation.

Finish

Long and warm, with a lingering nutty note that slowly gives way to a lightly spiced sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Poli Barrique Cleopatra Amarone Oro Grappa
Distillery: Poli Distillerie
Region/Country: Veneto, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 cl
Cask type: Oak barrels
Distillation method: Crysopea bain-marie vacuum still
EAN no.: 8014115001250
Serving suggestion: 18-20°C in a tulip-shaped glass

Flavour profile

Ripe red grapes · Almonds · Walnuts · Dried fruit · Toasted wood

Did you know?

According to legend, Cleopatra herself was the first to build a still in an attempt to turn metals into gold — a story Poli drew on when naming its own vacuum still Crysopea, which means precisely "to make gold" in Greek.

Shop our full range of Poli

"Sarpa" simply means "marc" in the Venetian dialect — a modest name for a grappa that over 30 years has grown from an everyday product into one of the most respected symbols of Italian grappa in the world.

Expert description

Poli Sarpa Oro Grappa 30° Anniversario 1991-2021 Special Edition is an Italian Grappa at 40% from Poli Distillerie in Schiavon, Veneto, distilled from the marc of the grapes Merlot and Cabernet.

Sarpa Oro was born in 1991 and this edition celebrates 30 years in Poli's range, from 1991 to 2021. The grappa is distilled through gentle steam distillation and then patiently matured in the underground cellars in Schiavon, where the distillery holds nearly 4,000 225-litre oak barriques used to age its cask-matured grappas.

The long maturation gives Sarpa Oro a depth and complexity far removed from a young, unaged grappa, and Poli itself considers it one of the most complete expressions of how grappa has evolved from a popular product into an international symbol of Italian craftsmanship.

Tasting notes

Nose

A basket of exotic fruits meets vanilla, almonds and toasted hazelnuts.

Palate

Full and warm, mirroring the fruity, nutty character of the nose, carried by a gentle sweetness from the oak.

Finish

Long and round, with a lingering aftertaste of toasted hazelnuts and vanilla.

Specifications

Name: Poli Sarpa Oro Grappa 30° Anniversario 1991-2021 Special Edition
Distillery: Poli Distillerie
Region/Country: Veneto, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Cask type: Oak barrels (225-litre barriques)
Distillation method: Steam distillation
Edition: 30° Anniversario, 1991-2021
EAN no.: 8014115000505
Serving suggestion: 18-20°C in a tulip-shaped glass

Flavour profile

Exotic fruits · Vanilla · Almonds · Toasted hazelnuts · Round sweetness

Did you know?

Poli Distillerie keeps nearly 4,000 casks of 225 litres in its underground cellars, where grappas such as Sarpa Oro mature for years before becoming ready to celebrate anniversaries such as this 30-year edition.

Shop our full range of Poli

Some grappas are left to rest for years. This one is bottled as exactly what it is straight off the still — clean, cold and full of the fresh scent of freshly pressed grapes from Sardinia's sun-baked vineyards.

Expert description

Silvio Carta Grappa Fresca is an Italian Grappa distilled from Sardinian grape pomace and bottled clear and uncoloured at 40%.

The grappa is distilled from fresh pomace, and unlike the house's cask-aged bottlings, it never touches wood. Instead, it moves straight from discontinuous, low-temperature copper-still distillation into the bottle, keeping the grape's fresh fruit character fully intact.

Silvio Carta has distilled on Sardinia since the early 1950s, when the family was first known for its Vernaccia di Oristano wine. From 2013, the house committed fully to distilling both grappa and gin, and Grappa Fresca is the simplest expression of that shift: a grappa with nothing to hide behind, showing the raw material exactly as it is.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean and direct, with fresh grapes, white flowers and a touch of almond.

Palate

Dry and well balanced on the palate, with a gentle warmth and a natural grape character that never turns sharp.

Finish

Short to medium, crisp and clean, closing on a last note of spice.

Specifications

Name: Silvio Carta Grappa Fresca
Distillery: Silvio Carta
Region/Country: Sardinia, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Size: 50 CL
Distillation method: Discontinuous low-temperature distillation in copper stills
Serving suggestion: Best served lightly chilled in a tulip-shaped glass, as a digestif or alongside fresh cheeses and light desserts.

Flavour profile

Fresh · Fruity · Floral · Clean · Mild

Did you know?

Grappa Fresca is the closest Silvio Carta comes to the raw material itself: no cask ageing and no added colour, just Sardinian grapes distilled and bottled almost exactly as they leave the still.

Shop our full range of Silvio Carta

Vernaccia is a grape found almost nowhere outside the area around Oristano in Sardinia, and for generations the Carta family has distilled its pomace into a grappa that carries the island's dry, salty character.

Expert description

Silvio Carta Grappa di Vernaccia Invecchiata is an Italian Grappa from Sardinia, matured in chestnut casks and bottled at 40% ABV.

The grappa is distilled from pomace of the vernaccia grape, a variety grown almost exclusively around the Oristano area of Sardinia. The bottle comes from the Silvio Carta distillery in Zeddiani, founded in the early 1950s by Silvio Carta and led since 1972 by his son Elio Carta.

After distillation, the grappa is matured in Sardinian chestnut casks, some of them over a hundred years old and previously used to age vernaccia wine. The long contact with the old wood gives the grappa its amber colour and a depth a young, clear grappa could never reach.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers chestnut honey and toasted almonds, with a touch of butter, coffee and preserved quince.

Palate

The palate is intense and enveloping, moving from a faintly briny, salty note toward a dry, bitter-almond finish.

Finish

The finish is long and dry, with almond and a last hint of coffee.

Specifications

Name: Silvio Carta Grappa di Vernaccia Invecchiata
Distillery: Silvio Carta
Region/Country: Sardinia, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 cl
Cask type: Sardinian chestnut casks, previously used for vernaccia wine
Serving suggestion: Serve at room temperature in a grappa glass, ideally as a digestif

Flavour profile

Amber · Nutty · Salty · Intense · Dry

Did you know?

Did you know that some of the chestnut casks Silvio Carta uses to mature its grappa originally spent over a hundred years ageing vernaccia wine before being put to use for the grappa?

Shop our full range of Silvio Carta Grappa

The Nebbiolo skins from the Barbaresco hills still held the warmth of the 2021 harvest when they reached the still. What comes out the other end is a clear, fragrant grappa with the vintage written straight into the glass.

Expert description

Marolo Grappa Di Barbaresco Vendemmia 2021 is an Italian grappa distilled from the pomace of Nebbiolo grapes from Barbaresco in Piedmont, bottled at 44% ABV.

The grappa comes from a distillery that has specialised since 1977 in distilling pomace from single grape varieties and vineyards rather than blending them together. The pomace from the 2021 harvest is distilled in small bain-marie stills, where the still is heated indirectly through a water bath so the fragile aroma compounds in the skins are not scorched away.

After distillation the grappa rests in stainless steel rather than wood, so it keeps the raw material's pure character without vanilla notes from a barrel. The result is a spirit that clearly smells and tastes of the grape and the vintage it comes from.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma is refined and gently sweet, with notes of red grapes, ripe apples and a touch of black pepper.

Palate

The palate is full and spicy, with hints of dried apricot, citrus peel and a faint bitter, biscuity undertone.

Finish

The finish is long and earthy, with a whisper of green wood and a warm alcoholic glow.

Specifications

Name: Marolo Grappa Di Barbaresco Vendemmia 2021
Distillery: Marolo
Region/Country: Piedmont, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 44%
Size: 70 CL
Distilled: 2021
Serving suggestion: Serve at 14-16 degrees in a tulip-shaped glass as a digestif after the meal

Flavour profile

Rustic · Peppery · Fresh grape aroma · Earthy · Full-bodied

Did you know?

Marolo distils red and white grape pomace in two entirely separate stills, because the two types of pomace need different heat handling to give the best possible result.

Shop our full range of Marolo Grappa

Freshly cut grass, geranium and a hint of violets — not a description of a spring garden, but of a grappa that insists on being crisp and direct rather than soft and round.

Expert description

Poli di Poli Merlot Secca Dry Grappa is an Italian Grappa at 40% from Poli Distillerie in Schiavon, Veneto, distilled from the marc of the Merlot grape.

"Secca" means dry, and the term refers to a tactile sensation in the mouth rather than an actual flavour — a slightly crisp, almost crackling sensation that arises when the marc is handled and distilled with a focus on preserving the grape's natural acids. The Merlot grape contributes a characteristic note of freshly cut grass and red flowers, judged by the distillery's technical staff as distinctly "dry" compared with the softer PO di Poli expressions.

After harvest, the marc is distilled in small batches with a discontinuous copper still fitted with steam pots, yielding a well-structured grappa without roughness or aggressiveness, yet with a warming, almost crackling sensation on the tongue.

Tasting notes

Nose

Red grapes, strawberries, blackberries and blackcurrants, supported by freshly cut grass and red flowers such as geranium, rose and violets.

Palate

Dry and direct with a slightly crackling warmth, giving a distinct dry sensation rather than sweetness.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and fresh, with a lingering hint of red flowers.

Specifications

Name: Poli di Poli Merlot Secca Dry Grappa
Distillery: Poli Distillerie
Region/Country: Veneto, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 cl
Distillation method: Discontinuous copper still with steam pots
Serving suggestion: 10-15°C in a tulip-shaped glass

Flavour profile

Freshly cut grass · Red flowers · Red berries · Dry · Crackling warmth

Did you know?

Poli itself distinguishes technically between "dry" and "smooth" grappa purely by the tactile sensation in the mouth, not by sweetness, and Secca is the distillery's own definition of how a dry Merlot grappa should be experienced.

Shop our full range of Poli

Five bottles in a row, like five siblings who look alike but are never quite the same. Baby Pack gathers the whole PO di Poli family and lets the young Sarpa Oro round the set off.

Expert description

Poli Baby Pack Grappa Tasting Set is a collection of five 10 cl bottles from Poli Distillerie in Schiavon, Veneto, with an alcohol content that varies between 30% and 40% depending on the individual bottle. The set comprises the four PO di Poli expressions Morbida, Aromatica, Elegante and Secca, plus Sarpa Oro.

The four PO di Poli bottles are all young grappas, but distilled and selected for their own character — soft, aromatic, elegant and dry — so in practice you taste just how much style can be drawn from the same craft and different grape varieties. Sarpa Oro adds a fuller, more cask-influenced finish to the set.

Because the five bottles span several grape varieties and styles, Baby Pack works as a small lesson in Poli's grappa philosophy — an exercise in tasting the difference between "dry" and "smooth" grappa, a distinction the distillery itself places great weight on.

Tasting notes

Nose

Freshly cut grass and red flowers in the drier styles, milder grape sweetness in the softer expressions, and finally toasted hazelnuts in the cask-influenced Sarpa Oro.

Palate

From the crisp, almost crackling fullness of Secca to the round, rounded structure of Morbida, with Aromatica and Elegante as intermediate stops in intensity.

Finish

Short and clean in the young styles, while Sarpa Oro closes warmer and longer with a touch of nuts.

Specifications

Name: Poli Baby Pack Grappa Tasting Set
Distillery: Poli Distillerie
Region/Country: Veneto, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 30-40%
Size: 5x10 cl
Serving suggestion: 10-18°C in a tulip-shaped glass, one style at a time

Flavour profile

Freshly cut grass · Red flowers · Grape sweetness · Toasted hazelnuts · Clean finish

Did you know?

Poli itself uses the terms "dry" and "smooth" to describe how a grappa is perceived in the mouth — a tactile sensation rather than an actual flavour — and Baby Pack is put together so you can feel the difference directly, bottle by bottle.

Shop our full range of Poli

Four small bottles, four very different stories. From young and fresh to cask-aged and, finally, sweet — Esperienza Mignon is a quick tour through Poli's stylistic range without having to open a whole shelf of full-size bottles.

Expert description

Poli Esperienza Mignon Grappa Tasting Set is a collection of four 5 cl miniature bottles from Poli Distillerie in Schiavon, Veneto, with an alcohol content that varies between 30% and 40% depending on the individual bottle. The set contains Sarpa di Poli, PO di Poli Morbida, Cleopatra Amarone Oro and Poli Elisir Camomilla.

The three grappas each represent a different category within Poli's range: a young, direct grappa, a softer and rounder style, and a cask-aged grappa made from the marc of the Amarone grapes Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. Elisir Camomilla, by contrast, is a sweeter chamomile liqueur that shows an entirely different side of the distillery.

Because the contents span several distillation methods and cask types, the set is meant as an introduction — a chance to taste through Poli's philosophy of gentle, steam-heated distillation before settling on a favourite full-size bottle.

Tasting notes

Nose

A range from fresh grapes and white flowers in the young grappa to toasted almonds and ripe red berries in the cask-aged one, while the chamomile liqueur offers honey and dried herbs.

Palate

From the crisp, clean fullness of the young grappa, via the soft, almost velvety structure of the Morbida style, to the warm, nutty sweetness of the Amarone expression.

Finish

Short and clean in the young styles, longer and warmer in the cask-aged one, while the liqueur closes gently and aromatically with chamomile and honey.

Specifications

Name: Poli Esperienza Mignon Grappa Tasting Set
Distillery: Poli Distillerie
Region/Country: Veneto, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 30-40%
Size: 4x5 cl
Serving suggestion: 10-18°C in a tulip-shaped glass, one style at a time

Flavour profile

Fresh grapes · Toasted almonds · Red berries · Honey · Chamomile

Did you know?

Poli traditionally divides its grappa range into three main categories — young, soft and cask-aged — and the Esperienza set is put together so you get to taste all three categories in a single pack, alongside a liqueur.

Shop our full range of Poli

Sardinia has a habit of putting everything it grows into a bottle — sun, wind, the scent of wild myrtle carried on Mediterranean air. In an old chestnut cask in Zeddiani, what is left of the Vernaccia grape harvest is quietly turning into something amber and slow.

Expert description

Silvio Carta Grappa Invecchiata is an Italian Grappa distilled from Vernaccia grape pomace and aged in Sardinian chestnut casks, bottled at 40%.

The raw material is exclusively the pressed skins and seeds left over from Vernaccia grapes, and distillation follows a discontinuous, low-temperature method in copper stills — an approach Silvio Carta committed to fully from 2013, when the family set out to draw the most out of both grapes and juniper across their range. After distillation, the grappa rests in small Sardinian chestnut casks, some of them over a hundred years old and previously used for decades to age Vernaccia wine. That long contact with old wood is what gives the grappa its amber colour and a depth rarely found in unaged versions.

Elio Carta, son of founder Silvio Carta, has led the distillery since 1972, and the guiding idea has not changed: let Sardinia's land, time and craftsmanship speak through every glass.

Tasting notes

Nose

Chestnut honey and toasted almonds open the glass, quickly followed by amaretto and a touch of butter. Underneath sits a candied, almost quince-like sweetness and a hint of fresh coffee.

Palate

Intense and enveloping on the palate, with a saline, almost sea-air character that gives way to bitter almonds and warm spice. The texture is full without turning heavy.

Finish

Long and warm, closing on toasted wood and one last note of honey that lingers well after the last sip.

Specifications

Name: Silvio Carta Grappa Invecchiata
Distillery: Silvio Carta
Region/Country: Sardinia, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sardinian chestnut casks, some over a hundred years old, previously used for Vernaccia wine
Distillation method: Discontinuous low-temperature distillation in copper stills
EAN no.: 8005765969441
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at 12-14 degrees in a tulip-shaped glass, as a digestif or alongside dark chocolate and toasted almonds.

Flavour profile

Sweet · Nutty · Spiced · Woody · Round

Did you know?

Some of the chestnut casks used to age this grappa previously held Vernaccia wine for decades and are themselves over a hundred years old. The old wood is as much a part of the recipe as the grape itself.

Shop our full range of Silvio Carta

Twelve months in oak is enough to turn a clear, fresh Chardonnay grappa into something quite different: golden, softer, with a depth the unaged version never had.

Expert description

Grappa Nonino Chardonnay in Barriques is an Italian Grappa distilled from fresh pomace of the Chardonnay grape, aged in barriques for a minimum of 12 months, and bottled at 41% ABV.

The Nonino family has distilled in Percoto in Friuli-Venezia Giulia since 1897 and invented single-varietal grappa in 1973, when Benito and Giannola Nonino distilled the pomace of a single grape variety on its own for the first time. Grappas marked "invecchiata" at Nonino have all undergone a minimum of 12 months of natural ageing in barriques and small casks, under seal and ongoing control by the Italian customs authority.

The Chardonnay pomace is distilled in copper stills with head and tail cutting, then transferred to oak barrels where it matures with no colouring added. Bartender Simone Maion used this exact cask-aged Chardonnay grappa together with Amaro Nonino Quintessentia to create the cocktail "Nonino Fashion", an interpretation of the classic Old Fashioned.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft and refined, with golden apple and freshly baked bread, spiced with a touch of vanilla from the cask.

Palate

Smooth and sophisticated on the palate, with chocolate and freshly shelled almonds, carried by a juicy, mouth-filling structure.

Finish

The finish is long and refined, where the cask ageing clearly leaves its mark right to the very end.

Specifications

Name: Grappa Nonino Chardonnay in Barriques
Distillery: Nonino
Region/Country: Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 41%
Size: 70 cl
Cask type: Barriques
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: 100% distilled with artisanal method in copper stills
EAN no.: 8712838323023
Serving suggestion: At room temperature in a wide balloon glass

Flavour profile

Golden · Vanilla · Chocolate · Almond · Sophisticated

Did you know?

This cask-aged Chardonnay grappa features in the cocktail "Nonino Fashion", created by bartender Simone Maion as an Old Fashioned variation where the grappa meets the house's own Amaro Nonino Quintessentia.

Shop our full range of Nonino

The Chardonnay grape can become both a full-bodied, oak-aged wine and a completely pure, clear grappa. Here it stands alone, without any wood involved, showing only its own aroma.

Expert description

Grappa Nonino Chardonnay Bianco is an Italian Grappa distilled from fresh pomace of the Chardonnay grape and bottled at 41% ABV without any cask ageing.

The Nonino family has distilled in Percoto in Friuli-Venezia Giulia since 1897 and invented single-varietal grappa in 1973, when Benito and Giannola Nonino distilled the pomace of a single grape variety on its own for the first time. The same principle applies to the house's Chardonnay: the pomace is distilled entirely on its own, separate from the family's other grape varieties, so its character is preserved intact.

The pomace is collected fresh and soft from selected vineyards and ferments under vacuum in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature immediately after pressing. After distillation in copper stills with head and tail cutting, the grappa rests for six months to a year in stainless steel, with no contact with wood, before bottling with no colour added, hence the name "Bianco".

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean and light, with a touch of golden apple and pear, backed by a faint floral finesse.

Palate

Fresh and refined on the palate, with a touch of citrus peel, white flower and a light, almond-like hint at the back of the mouth.

Finish

The finish is short, dry and refreshing, with no vanilla or spice, as the grappa has never met wood.

Specifications

Name: Grappa Nonino Chardonnay Bianco
Distillery: Nonino
Region/Country: Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 41%
Size: 70 cl
Distillation method: 100% distilled with artisanal method in copper stills
Serving suggestion: At about 12°C in a closed tulip glass

Flavour profile

Clean · Golden apple · Citrus peel · White flower · Fresh

Did you know?

Nonino runs five of its own distilleries with 60 copper stills between them, running around the clock during the harvest so the pomace can be distilled while it is still completely fresh.

Shop our full range of Nonino

In the hills south of San Gimignano, among old vines and olive trees, a family that has tended this land since the 1970s distils this grappa. A quiet, lesser-known acquaintance from Tuscany.

Expert description

Grappa Poderi del Paradiso is an Italian Grappa from Tuscany, bottled at 41% ABV.

The producer is the family-run Poderi del Paradiso estate, which has farmed its vineyard south of San Gimignano since 1973. The Cetti family grows around 30 hectares of vines organically and is best known for its white wines from the vernaccia grape, but the estate's range also includes a grappa, distilled from pomace left over from its own harvest.

Poderi del Paradiso is one of the lesser-known names among Tuscan grappa producers, and the bottle carries the mark of small-scale craft rather than large-scale distillation.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is light and grapey, with a touch of flowers and a dry, mineral undertone.

Palate

The palate is robust and rustic, with clear alcohol warmth and a fruity core reminiscent of the vernaccia grape's tart character.

Finish

The finish is dry and fairly short, with a last hint of almond.

Specifications

Name: Grappa Poderi del Paradiso
Distillery: Poderi del Paradiso
Region/Country: Tuscany, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 41%
Size: 70 cl
Serving suggestion: Serve chilled as a digestif after a meal

Flavour profile

Rustic · Grapey · Dry · Mineral · Robust

Did you know?

Did you know that San Gimignano, home to Poderi del Paradiso, is famous for its medieval towers and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while sitting right in the middle of one of Tuscany's oldest wine areas?

Shop our full range of Poderi del Paradiso

Some of Romano Levi's bottles carried names that read more like half-finished poems than product descriptions. 'Ciò che sottovoce' - roughly, 'that which is said in a hushed voice' - is one of the most poetic, and its contents date back to 1991, long before the bottle became a rarity.

Expert description

Levi Serafino Grappa Cio che sottovoce 1991 is an Italian Grappa at 51% ABV, distilled and bottled by Romano Levi at Distilleria Levi Serafino in Neive, Piedmont, in 1991.

The name 'Ciò che sottovoce' is typical of Romano Levi's poetic approach to his craft. Rather than technical descriptions, he often gave his grappas evocative, unfinished-sounding titles, which he followed up with handwritten dedications and poems on the back labels of the bottles. This style made him far more than just a distiller in the public eye.

Romano Levi took over the distillery in Neive in 1945 at the age of 17, after his father Serafino had died and his mother had been killed during the war, and ran the business until his own death in 2008. He distilled using a direct-fire alembic, a method now almost extinct in Italy, and was nicknamed the 'angelic grappa maker' by Luigi Veronelli. The distillery continues today on a limited scale under new ownership.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is floral and slightly rustic, with notes of dried herbs, honey cake and a hint of smoke from the direct-fire distillation.

Palate

The palate is full and round with a warm sweetness reminiscent of caramelised grapes, balanced by a lightly bitter, earthy undercurrent.

Finish

The finish is long and gentle, with a lasting warmth and a trace of dried flowers that lingers well after the last sip.

Specifications

Name: Levi Serafino Grappa Cio che sottovoce 1991 Romano Levi - Unika flaske 5
Distillery: Levi Serafino
Region/Country: Piedmont, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 51%
Size: 75 cl
Distillation method: Direct-fire alembic
Bottled: 1991
Serving suggestion: Serve at room temperature in a narrow grappa glass, ideally on its own and unhurried.

Flavour profile

Floral · Honey cake · Caramelised grape · Earthy bitterness · Gentle warmth

Investment potential

This bottle belongs to the final decades of production made by Romano Levi's own hand, and since he personally distilled and wrote his poetic labels, no new bottle can ever replace the ones already in existence. That makes vintages like this one sought after among collectors of Italian grappa history.

Did you know?

Romano Levi wrote his final label on the evening of 1 May 2008, shortly before his death, which for many collectors marks the symbolic end of an era in Italian grappa craftsmanship.

Some grappa bottles tell a story before a single glass is poured. This one carries a small red heart drawn by Romano Levi's own hand, and a year that marks one of his last decades at the alembic in Neive.

Expert description

Levi Serafino Grappa Aquavite di Vinacce 2003 is an Italian Grappa at 50% ABV, distilled and bottled by Romano Levi at Distilleria Levi Serafino in Neive, Piedmont, in 2003.

The term 'acquavite di vinaccia' is the older, formal Italian name for grappa and was still used on several of Romano Levi's labels well into his career. Bottles from this period typically carried a printed front label bearing the distillery's emblem alongside a handwritten back label, often marked with a small red heart and Romano's own signature and vintage year.

Romano Levi ran the distillery from 1945, when he took over at just 17 following his father's death, until his own death in 2008. He distilled using a direct-fire alembic and was nicknamed the 'angelic grappa maker' by the Italian wine critic Luigi Veronelli. Today the distillery continues on a limited scale under new ownership, while bottles like this one from Romano's own production era are sold with a certificate of authenticity.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is rustic and direct, with notes of pressed grapes, wet stone and a hint of herbs from the Langhe hills where the pomace originates.

Palate

The palate is powerful and full-bodied, with a lightly scorched caramel note from the direct-fire distillation, balanced by a tart freshness from the grape seeds.

Finish

The finish is long, dry and faintly peppery, with a lingering warmth typical of older, unfiltered grappas from this part of Piedmont.

Specifications

Name: Levi Serafino Grappa Aquavite di Vinacce 2003 Romano Levi - Unika flaske 3
Distillery: Levi Serafino
Region/Country: Piedmont, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 cl
Distillation method: Direct-fire alembic
Bottled: 2003
Serving suggestion: Serve at room temperature in a narrow grappa glass to close a meal.

Flavour profile

Pressed grape · Wet stone · Caramel · Pepper · Dry warmth

Investment potential

Like the distillery's other historic bottles, this vintage also belongs to an era that cannot be recreated, since Romano Levi personally handled both distillation and labelling until his death in 2008. The limited and dwindling number of surviving bottles makes them attractive to collectors of Italian spirits history.

Did you know?

The front label carries an old coat of arms with a white cross and two lions - a motif Romano Levi used on several of his printed labels from the 2000s, before returning to purely handwritten versions.

In an old farmhouse in Neive, the fire still burns directly beneath the copper still, just as it did when Romano Levi worked the alembic himself. The label is handwritten, the words are his own, and the bottle carries a piece of Italian grappa history that can never be repeated.

Expert description

Levi Serafino Grappa della botte di Acacia 1991 is an Italian Grappa at 53% ABV, distilled and bottled by Romano Levi at Distilleria Levi Serafino in Neive, Piedmont, and matured in an acacia wood cask.

The distillery was founded in 1925 by Serafino Levi, who settled in Neive for its exceptional grape pomace. After Serafino's death in 1933 and the death of his wife Teresina in a wartime bombing in 1945, their son Romano Levi took over the distillery at only 17 years old and ran it until his own death in 2008. Romano used a direct-fire alembic, a distillation method now rare in Italy, and the wine critic Luigi Veronelli nicknamed him the 'angelic grappa maker' for his sensitive approach to the craft.

Romano experimented with several types of wood, including acacia, chestnut, ash and oak, often letting the grappa rest for years before bottling. Every label was written or painted by his own hand, frequently accompanied by a poem or a personal dedication, which makes this particular bottle a genuinely one-of-a-kind piece rather than a numbered item in a series. Today the distillery continues on a limited scale under new ownership, while the historic bottles from Romano's own lifetime are sold with a certificate of authenticity.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers warm acacia wood and beeswax alongside dried figs and a faint trace of smoke from the direct-fire distillation, with ripe grapes from the vineyards around Neive lingering underneath.

Palate

On the palate the grappa is round and slightly oily, with honeyed sweetness from the acacia cask balanced by a gentle bitterness from the grape seeds and skins.

Finish

The finish is long and warming, trailing off with dried fruit, herbal notes and a faint mineral edge from the old-world craftsmanship.

Specifications

Name: Levi Serafino Grappa della botte di Acacia 1991 Romano Levi - Unika flaske 1
Distillery: Levi Serafino
Region/Country: Piedmont, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 53%
Size: 75 cl
Cask type: Acacia wood cask
Distillation method: Direct-fire alembic
Bottled: 1991
Serving suggestion: Serve at room temperature in a tulip-shaped glass, ideally to close a meal.

Flavour profile

Acacia wood · Honey · Dried fig · Rustic sweetness · Warming finish

Investment potential

Production from Romano Levi's own lifetime ended with his death in 2008, so the number of surviving bottles from this era is limited and shrinking. Every label is unique and handwritten, which makes the bottles highly sought after among collectors of Italian spirits, and interest in the original vintages continues to grow among grappa connoisseurs.

Did you know?

In the old town of Neive, visitors can today explore a museum dedicated to Romano Levi and his recurring motif, the 'Wild Woman', which appeared on many of his hand-painted labels.

The same eighteen-month grappa from Trentino, but with a different ending: a rest in casks that once matured Port wine gives this edition a sweeter, fruit-driven character.

Expert description

Diciotto Lune Riserva Botte Porto is an Italian Grappa from Trentino, finished in former Port wine casks and bottled at 42% ABV.

The grappa comes from Distilleria Marzadro, a family-run distillery in Nogaredo, Trentino, founded in 1949 by siblings Sabina and Attilio Marzadro. The base spirit is made from fresh pomace of marzemino, teroldego, merlot, moscato and chardonnay, distilled in a water bath and rested for 18 months in small casks of cherry, ash, oak and locust wood - the maturation that gives the range its name, Le Diciotto Lune, eighteen moons.

For the Botte Porto edition, a selected batch is transferred to casks that previously aged Port wine. The extra time in these casks draws sweetness and fruit character from the old wood and leaves the grappa with a trace of dried fruit and spice that the unfinished base grappa doesn't have.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers ripe cherries and dried fruit, sweetly spiced with cinnamon and a touch of vanilla from the Port casks.

Palate

The palate is soft and harmonious, with fruity sweetness and a round, full structure, where the character of the Port casks sits like a warm layer beneath the grape spirit.

Finish

The finish is soft and lingering, with a last hint of dried figs and herbs.

Specifications

Name: Diciotto Lune Botte Porto
Distillery: Distilleria Marzadro
Region/Country: Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 42%
Size: 50 cl
Cask type: Cherry, ash, oak and locust wood casks, finished in Port wine casks
EAN no.: 8004009000032
Serving suggestion: Serve at room temperature in a grappa glass, ideally as a digestif

Flavour profile

Fruity · Sweet · Spiced · Soft · Round

Did you know?

Did you know that the Port casks used to finish this grappa have often already held Port wine for decades, giving them a deeper, sweeter wood structure than new casks?

Shop our full range of Marzadro Grappa

Eighteen moons give this Trentino grappa its name, but the Botte Whisky edition doesn't stop there. A further rest in used Scottish whisky casks lays a trace of peat and smoke over the soft fruit at its core.

Expert description

Diciotto Lune Riserva Botte Whisky is an Italian Grappa from Trentino, finished in former whisky casks and bottled at 42% ABV.

The bottle comes from Distilleria Marzadro, a family-run distillery in Nogaredo, Trentino, founded in 1949 by siblings Sabina and Attilio Marzadro. The base grappa is distilled from fresh pomace of five local grape varieties - marzemino, teroldego, merlot, moscato and chardonnay - using a water-bath still, then aged for 18 months in small casks of cherry, ash, oak and locust wood. That maturation period gave the range its name: eighteen moons, Le Diciotto Lune.

For the Botte Whisky edition, a selected batch of the grappa is moved into casks that previously held Scottish whisky, both peated and unpeated. The additional ageing sharpens the contrast between the soft grape distillate and the stronger wood, leaving a light smoky undertone that the classic Diciotto Lune doesn't have.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is broad with a light smokiness, built around ripe stone fruit and a touch of warm spice from the wood.

Palate

The palate is round and full, where the grape's sweetness meets a dry, faintly smoky undertone from the whisky casks, carried by vanilla and a hint of honey.

Finish

The finish is long and dry, with a lingering smoky note that slowly gives way to delicate fruit.

Specifications

Name: Diciotto Lune Botte Whisky
Distillery: Distilleria Marzadro
Region/Country: Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 42%
Size: 50 cl
Cask type: Cherry, ash, oak and locust wood casks, finished in Scottish whisky casks
EAN no.: 8004009002180
Serving suggestion: Serve at room temperature in a grappa glass, ideally as a digestif

Flavour profile

Smoky · Fruity · Round · Spiced · Warm

Did you know?

Did you know that locust wood, one of the woods used for Diciotto Lune's casks, is rarely used for spirits ageing but adds a gentle sweetness and a firmer tannic structure than oak?

Shop our full range of Marzadro Grappa

A glass can do almost as much for a grappa as the bottle itself. The narrow, funnel-shaped bowl holds onto the aroma and sends it straight toward the nose before the first drop even reaches the tongue.

Expert description

Grappa Glas is a clear glass tumbler shaped to concentrate the aroma of grappa and similar spirits.

The glass has the classic grappa shape: a small, rounded bowl on a slim stem that narrows toward the rim. The shape holds onto the aromas and directs them toward the nose in a thin stream, while the small opening slows the evaporation of alcohol, giving the aroma a rounder character.

The glass is designed for a single serving of grappa or another clear fruit brandy and works well as a simple introduction to the grappa glass shape, before perhaps investing in a handmade crystal glass.

Specifications

Name: Grappa Glas
Material: Glass
Suitable for: Grappa and other clear fruit brandies
Number in set: 1 piece
Size/volume: 9 cl

Did you know?

Did you know that the grappa glass's narrowed rim works much like a cognac glass, holding back the volatile alcohol vapours so it's easier to smell the grappa's fruit and spice rather than just the spirit itself?

Shop our full range of Grappa

A cellar in Jerez de la Frontera holding 40,000 casks, a dizzying aroma of resting sherry, and a grappa maker who could not resist asking whether anyone would notice if a couple went missing.

Expert description

Poli Due Barili Jacopo Grappa is an Italian Grappa at 40% from Poli Distillerie in Schiavon, Veneto, distilled from the marc of grapes used for Prosecco wine.

The name "Due Barili" — two casks — comes from Jacopo Poli's visit to Bodegas Williams & Humbert in Jerez de la Frontera, where, after tasting his way through fino, amontillado and oloroso sherry, he chose to bring some of the characteristic Botas casks home to Schiavon. The casks, which had previously held a sweet, thick sherry made from the Pedro Ximénez grape, were set to enrich the grappa with their own aromatic compounds.

After gentle steam distillation, the spirit matures in the underground cellars in Schiavon, where the sherry casks lend a deeper, more complex structure than the grappa's plain Prosecco marc would otherwise have given it.

Tasting notes

Nose

Milk chocolate together with raisins and toasted hazelnuts, with a sweet hint of sherry in the background.

Palate

Full and round, mirroring the nutty chocolate character of the nose, carried by a gentle sweetness from the sherry maturation.

Finish

Long and warm, with a lingering touch of raisins and toasted nuts.

Specifications

Name: Poli Due Barili Jacopo Grappa
Distillery: Poli Distillerie
Region/Country: Veneto, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 cl
Cask type: Sherry (Pedro Ximénez)
Distillation method: Steam distillation
EAN no.: 8014115001731
Serving suggestion: 18-20°C in a tulip-shaped glass

Flavour profile

Milk chocolate · Raisins · Toasted hazelnuts · Sherry sweetness · Warm finish

Did you know?

The cellar at Bodegas Williams & Humbert in Jerez de la Frontera holds around 40,000 sherry casks spread across an area equal to 25 football pitches, and it was here that Jacopo Poli found the inspiration for Due Barili.

Shop our full range of Poli

In the hills of Trentino, where the Gewürztraminer grape develops its spiced aroma, the Marzadro family still works the same copper stills they have used for three generations. This grappa is distilled from that very grape, in small batches and with patience.

Expert description

Marzadro Grappa Giare Gewürztraminer is an Italian Grappa at 41% ABV, distilled from the pomace of Gewürztraminer grapes and bottled by the family-run Marzadro distillery in Nogaredo, Trentino.

Marzadro was founded in 1949 by siblings Sabina and Attilio Marzadro and is today run by the third generation of the family. The Giare range consists of single-varietal grappas distilled in a bain-marie using a discontinuous copper alembic and then aged for at least 36 months in small oak barrels, giving them a notably round character compared with Marzadro's younger, unaged grappas.

The name 'Giare' means jars in Italian and refers to the range as a whole rather than the cask type - the grappa is aged in oak, not in clay jars, while Marzadro has a separate range called 'Anfora' that is genuinely matured in terracotta jars. Giare Gewürztraminer has won awards at the International Wine & Spirit Competition.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is intense and floral, with honeysuckle and a hint of vanilla from the cask ageing, characteristic of the Gewürztraminer grape's aromatic style.

Palate

The palate is soft and gently sweet, with a delicate balance between the grape's spiced aroma and a warm, lightly vanilla-toned finish from the oak.

Finish

The finish is harmonious and medium in length, with a lingering floral sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Marzadro Grappa Giare Gewürztraminer
Distillery: Marzadro
Region/Country: Trentino, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 41%
Size: 70 cl
Cask type: Oak cask
Distillation method: Bain-marie distillation in a discontinuous copper alembic
EAN no.: 8004009000087
Serving suggestion: Serve at 12-14 degrees in a tulip-shaped glass, ideally to close a meal.

Flavour profile

Honeysuckle · Vanilla · Floral sweetness · Oak · Harmonious

Did you know?

The name 'Giare' means jars, yet the range is actually aged in small oak barrels - it is Marzadro's other range, 'Anfora', that is matured in terracotta jars from the Tuscan towns of Montelupo and Impruneta.

Shop our full range of Marzadro

Eighteen full moons pass before Marzadro's signature grappa leaves its barrels. The name 'Dic'Otto Lune' - the eighteen moons - is a poetic way of measuring time in a distillery where patience is part of the recipe.

Expert description

Marzadro Le Dic Otto Lune Grappa Stravecchia is an Italian Grappa at 41% ABV, distilled and bottled by the family-run Marzadro distillery in Nogaredo, Trentino.

'Dic'Otto Lune' means 'eighteen moons' and refers to the at least 18 months of ageing the grappa undergoes, while 'Stravecchia' is the Italian term for an extra-long maturation. The range was developed by Marzadro in 1999 as one of the distillery's first attempts at ageing a grappa in four different types of wood at once - oak, acacia, ash and cherry - to achieve a more complex expression than a single cask type can provide.

Marzadro was founded in 1949 by siblings Sabina and Attilio Marzadro and is today run by the third generation of the family from the distillery's current home in Nogaredo. The grappa is distilled from a blend of pomace from several grape varieties, including Marzemino, Teroldego, Merlot, Moscato and Chardonnay, giving it a broader aromatic spectrum than a single-varietal grappa.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers roasted nuts and ripe cherries, spiced with a hint of vanilla and a subtle, earthy undercurrent of forest floor.

Palate

The palate is soft and harmonious with a warm, gently spiced sweetness, where the different woods combine into a layered, round expression.

Finish

The finish is long and lightly nutty, with a lingering, almost nougat-like sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Marzadro Le Dic Otto Lune Grappa Stravecchia
Distillery: Marzadro
Region/Country: Trentino, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
Age: 18 months
ABV: 41%
Size: 50 cl
Cask type: Oak, acacia, ash and cherry wood casks
EAN no.: 8004009005280
Serving suggestion: Serve at 12-14 degrees in a tulip-shaped glass, ideally to close a meal.

Flavour profile

Roasted nuts · Cherry · Vanilla · Forest floor · Nougat

Did you know?

The range was first launched in 1999 and was Marzadro's first attempt at ageing a single grappa in four different types of wood at the same time - a method the distillery still uses for Dic'Otto Lune today.

Shop our full range of Marzadro

Grapes hung to dry under a roof until December, as the sugar slowly concentrates and a noble mould leaves its mark. It is a laborious route to a grappa, but the result explains why Jacopo Poli still speaks fondly of his old mentor.

Expert description

Poli Amorosa di Dicembre Torcolato Grappa is an Italian Grappa at 40% from Poli Distillerie in Schiavon, Veneto, distilled from the marc of Vespaiolo grapes used for the sweet Breganze DOC wine Torcolato.

The partnership between Poli and the torcolato producers in Breganze dates back to 1984, when Jacopo Poli met winegrower Fausto Maculan and was allowed to collect the precious marc. The grapes, called "torcolati" after the twisted way they are bound, hang drying from the ceiling until December, letting water evaporate and sugar concentrate — often assisted by the noble rot botrytis cinerea.

After destemming and a carefully controlled fermentation of the sweet skins, the marc is distilled in small batches with a discontinuous copper still fitted with steam pots, yielding a spirit with complex, elegant aromas of raisins and dried fruit.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisins, prunes and dried apricots, rounded out by figs and dates in a full, sweet bouquet.

Palate

Round and full with a distinct sense of sweetness, supported by the same dried fruit character found on the nose.

Finish

Long and soft, with a lingering aftertaste of prunes and dates that fades slowly.

Specifications

Name: Poli Amorosa di Dicembre Torcolato Grappa
Distillery: Poli Distillerie
Region/Country: Veneto, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Size: 50 cl
Distillation method: Discontinuous copper still with steam pots
EAN no.: 8014115000291
Serving suggestion: 10-15°C in a tulip-shaped glass

Flavour profile

Raisins · Dried apricots · Prunes · Figs · Sweet

Did you know?

Torcolato grapes are traditionally bound into twisted braids — hence the name "torcolato" — and hang drying under the roof for several months, where the same botrytis mould known from Sauternes can develop new aromatic compounds in the skins.

Shop our full range of Poli

Named after a Jewish alchemist from antiquity, whom the Poli family have made patron saint of a pot warmed by another pot. It sounds like a detour, yet that is exactly what makes this grappa so gentle.

Expert description

Poli Bagno Maria Organic Grappa is an Italian Grappa at 40% from Poli Distillerie in Schiavon, Veneto, distilled from the marc of organically grown Merlot, Cabernet and Amarone grapes.

The name "bagno maria" refers to the water-bath technique, where a pot is heated indirectly via another pot filled with hot water, named after Maria the Jewess — one of the earliest alchemists, said by tradition to have invented the method. Poli uses a variant of this technique in its stills, where steam gently warms the marc without direct contact with fire.

The spirit is made in small batches with a discontinuous bain-marie vacuum still and is, according to Poli itself, the distillery's first ever organic grappa, made with minimal intervention in the natural cultivation of the grapes.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh red berries and ripe red grapes, with a hint of freshly picked fruit from the vineyard.

Palate

Full and powerful, with a warming, almost robust structure carried by the character of the three grape varieties.

Finish

Medium length, clean and slightly tart, with an aftertaste of fresh grapes that lingers well.

Specifications

Name: Poli Bagno Maria Organic Grappa
Distillery: Poli Distillerie
Region/Country: Veneto, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 cl
Distillation method: Discontinuous bain-marie vacuum still
EAN no.: 8014115001601
Serving suggestion: 10-15°C in a tulip-shaped glass

Flavour profile

Fresh red berries · Ripe grapes · Full structure · Slightly tart · Clean finish

Did you know?

Poli itself describes Bagno Maria as the distillery's first grappa made entirely according to the principles of organic farming, dedicated to "strong women and true men who hold fast to their ideals."

Shop our full range of Poli

A drop of Tuscany from a Piedmont distillery. This small bottle packs the same floral Sangiovese character found in its big sister's 70 cl bottle into a format made for tasting your way forward.

Expert description

Marolo Grappa Miniature di Brunello Valdicava is an Italian grappa distilled from the pomace of Sangiovese grapes from the Valdicava vineyard in the Brunello di Montalcino district of Tuscany, bottled at 42% ABV in a 5 cl tasting bottle.

Because Marolo distils grapes from several Italian regions, this miniature is one of the easiest ways to taste a Tuscan grappa from a Piedmont-based distillery without buying a full bottle. The pomace comes from Valdicava, a vineyard on the Montosoli hill in Montalcino that grows exclusively Sangiovese Grosso.

The grappa is gently distilled in bain-marie stills and rests in stainless steel, preserving the fresh, floral character that is typical of the Sangiovese grape.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma offers fresh raspberry and a hint of dried rose petals.

Palate

The palate is soft, round and easy-drinking, with a touch of sweetness.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, clean and fruity.

Specifications

Name: Marolo Grappa Miniature di Brunello Valdicava
Distillery: Marolo
Region/Country: Tuscany, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 42%
Size: 5 CL
EAN no.: 609750514234
Serving suggestion: Serve in a small glass as a digestif or as a tasting ahead of a full-size bottle

Flavour profile

Floral · Light · Fruity · Soft · Fresh

Did you know?

Although Marolo is based in Piedmont, the distillery works with vineyards as far away as Tuscany - this miniature is therefore one of the few ways to taste a single-vineyard Sangiovese grappa from a Piedmont distillery.

Shop our full range of Marolo Grappa

From the hills of Montalcino in Tuscany to a distillery in Piedmont - the pomace from one of Brunello's most respected vineyards travels a long way before it becomes this grappa.

Expert description

Marolo Grappa Di Brunello Valdicava is an Italian grappa distilled from the pomace of Sangiovese grapes from the Valdicava vineyard in the Brunello di Montalcino district of Tuscany, bottled at 44% ABV in a 70 cl bottle.

Although Marolo is based in Piedmont, the distillery also sources pomace from other of Italy's most acclaimed wine districts. Valdicava sits on the Montosoli hill in Montalcino and has been run by the Abbruzzese family since the 1950s, today known for some of the area's most distinctive Brunello wines, made exclusively from Sangiovese Grosso.

The pomace is gently distilled in bain-marie stills and afterwards rests in stainless steel rather than wood, preserving the floral, fresh character the Sangiovese grape is known for.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma is fresh and floral, with raspberry and dried rose petals.

Palate

The palate is soft and elegant, with a touch of ripe fruit gliding easily across the tongue.

Finish

The finish is long and fine, with a faint mineral undertone.

Specifications

Name: Marolo Grappa Di Brunello Valdicava
Distillery: Marolo
Region/Country: Tuscany, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 44%
Size: 70 CL
Serving suggestion: Serve at room temperature as a digestif after the meal

Flavour profile

Floral · Elegant · Fresh · Soft · Aromatic

Did you know?

Valdicava grows exclusively Sangiovese Grosso across roughly 27 hectares around the Montosoli hill and produces only about 6,000 cases of wine a year, making it one of the most exclusive sources in Montalcino.

Shop our full range of Marolo Grappa

Two different kinds of wood, one grappa. Doppio Fusto is Marolo's answer to what happens when Barbaresco's Nebbiolo grapes are left to mature slowly and thoroughly, instead of being bottled fresh and clear.

Expert description

Marolo Grappa Di Barbaresco Doppio Fusto is an Italian grappa distilled from the pomace of Nebbiolo grapes from Barbaresco in Piedmont and aged in two different types of wooden cask, bottled at 42% ABV in a 50 cl bottle.

"Doppio Fusto" means double cask, and the name reflects that the grappa has rested in both oak and cherry wood barrels. The two woods each contribute their own nuances, and the result is a deeply amber grappa with a far more layered character than the fresh, unaged expression of the same grape and district.

The style grows out of Marolo's ongoing interest in cask ageing, which the distillery has pursued since 1980, when it was among the first in Italy to let grappa rest in wood instead of only steel.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma is deep and amber-toned, with vanilla, almond and a hint of cocoa.

Palate

The palate is full and round, with a fresh fruitiness cutting through the warm cask notes.

Finish

The finish is harmonious and long, with a final trace of spice from the cherry wood.

Specifications

Name: Marolo Grappa Di Barbaresco Doppio Fusto
Distillery: Marolo
Region/Country: Piedmont, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 42%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Oak and cherry wood barrels
Serving suggestion: Serve as a digestif, ideally with dark chocolate or aged cheese

Flavour profile

Cask-driven · Amber · Complex · Rich · Warm

Did you know?

Every bottle of Doppio Fusto is sold in a hexagonal box, setting it physically apart from Marolo's other, more classically packaged grappas on the shelf.

Shop our full range of Marolo Grappa

The Barbera grape is known for its acidity and its juicy, straightforward fruit in wine. The same traits follow when the pomace ends up in Marolo's copper stills.

Expert description

Marolo Grappa Di Barbera Pianpolvere is an Italian grappa distilled from the pomace of Barbera grapes from the Pianpolvere vineyard in Langhe, bottled at 42% ABV in a 50 cl bottle.

Barbera is Piedmont's most widely planted red grape and is known for high acidity and a juicy, direct expression. Marolo sources the pomace from Pianpolvere, a single named vineyard in Langhe, rather than blending pomace from several different sites, which gives the grappa a more precise and recognisable character.

After the gentle bain-marie distillation, the grappa rests in stainless steel, so the young, fresh fruit character of the grape is preserved without any flavour added from wood.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma is lively and outgoing, with notes of red cherries and fresh grapes.

Palate

The palate is dry and precise, with green twigs, a light sweetness and a spicy spirit strength.

Finish

The finish is earthy, with a trace of vanilla and a dry, clean close.

Specifications

Name: Marolo Grappa Di Barbera Pianpolvere
Distillery: Marolo
Region/Country: Piedmont, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 42%
Size: 50 CL
Serving suggestion: Serve at 12-14 degrees as a digestif after the meal

Flavour profile

Fresh · Cherry · Dry · Spicy · Youthful

Did you know?

Barbera is the most widely planted red grape in Piedmont, but it is used far more often for wine than for grappa - most of the region's famous grappas are instead made from Nebbiolo from Barolo or Barbaresco.

Shop our full range of Marolo Grappa

Five centilitres are enough to understand why cask-aged grappa from Barolo's Nebbiolo grapes is considered some of the most characterful in the Italian grappa tradition. A small bottle with a big flavour.

Expert description

Marolo Grappa Miniature di Barolo Fadlagret is an Italian grappa distilled from the pomace of Nebbiolo grapes from the Barolo district in Piedmont and aged in oak barrels, bottled at 42% ABV in a 5 cl tasting bottle.

The Barolo grappa is one of the expressions where Marolo's cask-ageing tradition really shows. The spirit rests in small oak barrels, where it gradually takes on colour, sweetness and spice from the wood while keeping the Nebbiolo grape's characteristic perfume from the fresh distillate.

The miniature format lets you get acquainted with a cask-aged Barolo grappa without committing to a full bottle, and works just as well as a small gift or a closing tasting after dinner.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma is amber in character, with vanilla, toasted almonds and a hint of tobacco.

Palate

The palate is full and spiced, with cocoa and a soft, round sweetness from the cask.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with a lingering trace of wood and spice.

Specifications

Name: Marolo Grappa Miniature di Barolo Fadlagret
Distillery: Marolo
Region/Country: Piedmont, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 42%
Size: 5 CL
Cask type: Oak barrels
EAN no.: 609750514135
Serving suggestion: Serve as a digestif in a small glass, lightly chilled

Flavour profile

Cask-driven · Warm · Spiced · Round · Vanilla-sweet

Did you know?

When Marolo launched its first cask-aged grappa resting in small acacia wood barrels in 1980, it was one of the earliest examples of cask-aged grappa in Italy and helped change the perception of grappa as a rough farmhouse spirit.

Shop our full range of Marolo Grappa