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
